ISL 2017-18: 1-0 is my favourite scoreline, says KBFC coach David James; looking forward to the match vs Jamshedpur

KERALA BLASTERS will take on Jamshedpur FC at the latter's home ground. Since the change in coach, KBFC have shown great improvements and are yet to lose in their previous three outings.

Talking at the pre-match press conference, David James said,

"The two wins were vital. The second game was very tough, physically and mentally. 1 – 0 is my favourite score-line because you are always on edge. However, it can drain you. Having said that, yes confidence is in the team at the moment. And yes, we are looking forward to the match. As I said before, with the ISL, there is a tendency for the teams to change. It’s very difficult to predict what you are going to get. But we expect an energetic match."

Talking about the transformation since he has taken over,

"I took over a side that I did not think should have been in the position that they were for the quality of the players they got. I think the team needed some confidence. They have very good players and they showed what they can do in the last two and a half games. There is no magic to it. We got organized, we got behind the team to get it ready. It’s not just myself. I’m just the coach, there are other coaches as well, assistants, doctors; everyone was involved and are thankfully 100% committed to giving the players the best chance of winning football games. And they the players are dedicated to winning, which is always good."

He further spoke about the referee situation in ISL,

"I think the topic is very hot at the moment back in the UK. There is a cry out for consistency in referees which I think is wrong because they are expecting all the referees to be the same, which I think has taken away the human element. But we are only four seasons into the ISL. And if we expect the referees to be of the standard of the Premier League, it is asking too much. It will improve."

"There are some good refereeing decisions going on, so it is not a case of bad referees making bad decisions all the time. So as long as the referees are consistent with themselves, then managers, players and commentators will know what to expect in each game. Then it’s up to the governing body to have a look at the appointment of referees in future."

He also shared his thoughts on the idea of video referral,

"It’s something I hate. Goal-line technology is fair enough. We work for 90 minutes to try and score goals and if it crosses the line it should be a goal. But with the video review system, no chance. Because you are just asking for more indecision and more time taken. I think for fans as well, it’s nice to debate. That’s what football is all about; it’s about debating. Having opinions rather than a fourth eye or a video camera making the decision for you.”

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