After drawing two consecutive home games, Kerala Blasters FC are now hungry for a win against Delhi Dynamos FC in their away match on Sunday in the national capital. Kerala head coach and marquee player, goalkeeper David James, has set an ambitious target for his team: winning each of their remaining six group stage games.Of course, James acknowledged collecting all 18 points would be difficult, given how tight and competitive the league is – top and bottom are separated by just six points. “There is not a lot of difference in points between the top and the bottom team,” James said at the pre-match press conference on the eve of the game. “Everyone is struggling to get three wins in a row. It is very competitive and we don’t know if we will get to go home on December 9 (the final day of the group stages) or December 20 (the Hero Indian Super League Grand Final).”Though the competitiveness of the league means there is constant pressure on all of the teams, James said pressure is a subjective concept, dependent on how every human deals with it. The keeper and head coach is arguably under greater pressure than many other players in the league, along with the other marquee players, with the attention and expectation being devoted to them by the media and the fans. However, when asked about this added responsibility, James quipped, “The marquee players came with big reputations and big expectation and I think it is only right that if you become marquee player then you have to perform. I demand more from myself than from other players.” He added that all of the marquee players are enjoying playing in a competitive league. “Having spoken to other marquee players, they are enjoying themselves. So, it is refreshing to see that.”James also shared his thoughts on the quality of Indian players in the league, stating that he was impressed by the talent on show. He reserved special praise for his teammate Sandesh Jhingan, who has been one of the standout performers not just for Kerala but in the league overall. “Sandeep Jhingan is a very versatile player. When he goes on the field and comes out he is completely shattered as he has given his 100%,” James said proudly. “That’s all I can ask from a player – and fortunately his 100% is really good!”When asked about the Indians in his playing position, James showed his appreciation for India’s number one goalkeeper Subrata Paul, who kept Kerala at bay in their 0-0 draw against Mumbai City FC in their last outing. “If it was not for him we would have scored early in the game and probably even won that game comfortably,” James asserted. He also talked up his deputies, Sandeep Nandy and Luis Barreto, and was confident the future of Indian goalkeeping was in safe hands based on what he’d seen in the ISL.Returning to his avatar as head coach, James refused to comment about any injuries and probable players for the starting lineup against Delhi. “Everyone has a fitness test tomorrow morning. We will decide henceforth,” James said.
