Ashley Westwood Tolak Bahas Kontrak Baru di Kerala Blasters

Manajer interim Kerala Blasters Ashley Westwood memilih fokus menuntaskan sisa kompetisi dibandingkan membahas kontrak permanen setelah timnya mengalahkan FC Goa 1-0 dalam laga pekan ke-13 Liga Super India (ISL) di Stadion Internasional Jawaharlal Nehru, Kochi, pada Senin, 18 Mei 2026.

Kemenangan tipis tersebut diraih tuan rumah berkat gol tunggal gelandang sayap Kevin Yoke pada menit ke-48 babak kedua, dilansir dari laporan langsung Sportstar. Hasil ini membuat Kerala Blasters mengoleksi 18 poin dari 14 laga di papan tengah, sementara FC Goa tertahan dengan raihan 21 poin.

Sebelum pertandingan berlangsung, Ashley Westwood sempat memberikan instruksi khusus kepada para pemainnya untuk menjaga tren positif agar tidak memicu penyesalan saat kompetisi berakhir.

"They are a top-ranked side and have some very good Indian national players and experienced foreign players. We have to go out and give our best and try to win the match," ucap Ashley Westwood, Head Coach Kerala Blasters.

Manajer interim asal Inggris tersebut kemudian mengingatkan jajaran staf dan pasukannya untuk tetap menjunjung tinggi profesionalisme serta kerja keras di lapangan.

"Nothing's guaranteed in football. You have to work hard first and foremost. You have to match physicality and physical outputs. But at the end of the day, let's not finish the season on a down. We've been on an upward trajectory since the day I got here and just keep the momentum going, give it your all and let's not sit in two or three days' time where we're regretting things that we didn't give our everything to get the result. If we don't get it, that's fine as long as we give it our best," jelas Ashley Westwood, Head Coach Kerala Blasters.

Di sisi lain, manajemen klub dilaporkan telah berulang kali berupaya mengadakan pertemuan formal demi membahas prospek ikatan kerja jangka panjang bersama sang pelatih.

"To be honest, the management have asked me a couple of times for meetings," kata Ashley Westwood, Pelatih Interim Kerala Blasters.

Kendati demikian, mantan pelatih pengganti David Catala yang bertugas sejak Maret 2026 ini menegaskan komitmennya untuk menyelesaikan masa kontrak pendek yang tersisa.

"But me personally, when I came here, I said, listen, I am coming to help. I have got seven games, let me focus on seven games, let me give as much as I can. And when everything is finished, when the dust settles, you know, we can sit down and talk about the future," ujar Ashley Westwood, Pelatih Interim Kerala Blasters.

Keputusan Westwood untuk menunda negosiasi dipicu oleh situasi internal liga yang belum menentu setelah mayoritas klub menolak tawaran hak komersial dari Genius Sports senilai 64 crore rupee per tahun.

"I am one of these people who is very straight, very honest and I do not want to enter any conversations until we know the future. And at the minute, as it stands, no one knows the future of Indian football. So, why speak about ifs, buts, maybes? Once all the facts are in, then I will be ready to talk," tegas Ashley Westwood, Pelatih Interim Kerala Blasters.

Sembari menanti regulasi resmi dari Federasi Sepak Bola Seluruh India (AIFF), juru taktik tersebut memilih memusatkan energinya pada performa teknis tim sehari-hari.

"But until then, I concentrate on football and you never know when your last day can be in any job, in any position. So, we just keep training, keep playing and once we know the landscape, let us sit and talk," tambah Ashley Westwood, Pelatih Interim Kerala Blasters.

Sementara itu, dari kubu tim tamu, pelatih FC Goa Manolo Marquez membenarkan bahwa dirinya melakukan perombakan komposisi pemain utama dalam laga tandang kali ini.

"Some changes will be there among the starters but that’s not important," ungkap Manolo Marquez, Pelatih FC Goa.

Marquez menilai perubahan susunan pemain bukan alasan bagi timnya untuk tampil kurang gigih melawan tuan rumah yang mendapat suntikan motivasi dari suporter mereka.

"We need to be competitive (regardless of the changes). We face a team that is most motivated in the competition, even more than the teams who are fighting for the title. They have changed some foreign players and they are now better. They are playing with confidence. The crowd is also there and now more supporters will be at the stadium. It will be a nice farewell game of the season," tutur Manolo Marquez, Pelatih FC Goa.

Kelanjutan operasional kompetisi ISL selanjutnya akan dibahas dalam pertemuan krusial antara AIFF dan seluruh klub kontestan, kecuali East Bengal, pada 22 Mei 2026 mendatang.