Sahal Abdul Samad struggled during the training session on Monday. Ivan Vukomanovic didn’t want to risk his Indian midfielder and started Nishu Kumar in the right midfielder position.
When asked about the exclusion of Sahal, Vukomanovic replied, “Yesterday during the training, he felt some discomfort in his muscle. We didn’t want to take any risks because risking him in this kind of game, this kind of injury could provoke an even more difficult situation and could put him out of the pitch for a long period. So, we decided to not allow him to play so that we can take care of him. I’ll never sacrifice anyone if there’s any discomfort because we have enough players.”
Potential in team
Vukomanovic has never shied away from telling how much potential he always saw in his team. He has asserted more than once that his team have some of the best youngsters and some capable, experienced names in his squad. So, to reach the final is no surprise for the Serbian.
“It’s been a great achievement for the club and the fans, who were waiting for so long to be here where we are standing. We achieved something great and we all should be happy. These boys were fighting so well throughout the season. Since we started last year in August, we knew that there was potential and quality to end up top of the table,” the 44-year-old reaffirmed.
Difference between playing knockout & league game
Jamshedpur FC and Kerala Blasters had faced each other four times before the knockouts this season. Kerala lost two games, while the other two resulted in a draw. Ivan Vukomanovic explained how playing in a knockout game is different from playing in a league game.
“There is something different when you are fighting for points and when you are playing in the knockouts. When you’ve to play 180 minutes and extra-time, you’ve to take many things into consideration. You’ve to do many things different where you’re fighting in the 90 minutes for the points. So, we had to manage two games in a row against one of the best teams in the league. They were consistent during the regular part of the season,” Ivan Vukomanovic explained.
0 Comments