Ashley Westwood Tolak Bahas Kontrak Permanen di Kerala Blasters

Manajer interim Kerala Blasters Ashley Westwood menolak membahas perpanjangan kontrak permanen setelah timnya menumbangkan FC Goa dengan skor 1-0 dalam laga pekan ke-13 Liga Super India (ISL) di Stadion Internasional Jawaharlal Nehru, Kochi, pada Senin, 18 Mei 2026.

Hasil pertandingan ini memangkas jarak poin di papan tengah klasemen sementara, dengan Kerala Blasters kini mengoleksi 18 poin dari 14 pertandingan. Sementara itu, FC Goa tertahan di peringkat ketujuh dengan raihan 21 poin setelah menelan kekalahan dalam laga tandang tersebut.

Gol penentu kemenangan tuan rumah dicetak melalui aksi individu gelandang sayap Kevin Yoke pada menit ke-48 babak kedua, dilansir dari laporan langsung Sportstar. Sebelum pertandingan bergulir, Westwood sempat mengingatkan para pemainnya untuk menjaga momentum positif demi menghindari hasil mengecewakan pada akhir musim kompetisi.

"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.

Arsitek tim asal Inggris tersebut juga menekankan pentingnya kerja keras, profesionalisme, serta kontribusi maksimal kepada seluruh staf dan pemain demi menjaga tren positif klub.

"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 tengah performa apik tim, manajemen Kerala Blasters dilaporkan telah berulang kali meminta pertemuan formal untuk membahas kemungkinan kontrak jangka panjang bagi mantan pelatih pengganti David Catala tersebut.

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

Namun, pelatih yang bertugas sejak Maret 2026 ini memilih mencurahkan fokus penuh untuk menuntaskan sisa kontrak pendeknya yang menyisakan beberapa pertandingan lagi.

"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.

Sikap jujur Westwood didasari oleh ketidakpastian internal liga setelah para klub kontestan menolak tawaran komersial dari Genius Sports senilai 64 crore rupee per tahun selama 20 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 menunggu kejelasan regulasi dari All India Football Federation (AIFF), Westwood memilih berkonsentrasi penuh pada aspek teknis anak asuhnya di lapangan.

"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.

Dari kubu lawan, pelatih FC Goa Manolo Marquez membenarkan adanya kebijakan rotasi pemain yang ia terapkan untuk susunan starter dalam laga tandang ini.

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

Marquez menyatakan bahwa rotasi tersebut bukan alasan untuk tidak tampil kompetitif menghadapi tuan rumah yang memiliki motivasi tinggi serta dukungan penuh dari suporter di stadion.

"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.

Pertemuan krusial antara AIFF dan seluruh klub ISL, kecuali East Bengal, dijadwalkan bakal berlangsung pada 22 Mei 2026 mendatang untuk membahas keberlanjutan kompetisi.