Mumbai
While it is calm and quiet on the field, there are many things happening off it. It's the Indian Super League football team which is making news this time.
Their mercurial defender Sandesh Jhinghan, along with their CEO Viren D'Silva, who has been with the club for many summers, have parted ways with the team, according to sources.
It is being given to understand, the two pillars of the club, Jhinghan and D'Silva, have parted from the team in a spirit of mutual understanding and there are no hard feelings, according to sources close to the team.
"I think this is not the time for me to talk about Kerala Blasters," Jhinghan told The Free Press Journal on Wednesday. "I should be making the statement, someone saying so does not make any sense," said the star player when asked if he had plans to go abroad to pursue the game.
As for his next move, the source added nothing would be on the table at least until July. The coronavirus pandemic has slowed down things too.
Centre-back Jhingan has spent six seasons with the Kerala Blasters, helping them reach the ISL final in the first season. The Chandigarh-born 26-year-old has made 76 appearances for the club, even as the team around him underwent drastic changes.
Kerala have appointed Mohun Bagan's I-League winning coach Kibu Vicuna for the next season. Kerala finished well outside the playoff spots in the 2019-20 season, at No. 7. Jhingan had also led the side in the 2018-19 season.
This is happening when the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has nominated Jhingan for the Arjuna award.
Known for being a robust and powerful presence at the heart of the backline, Jhinghan suffered an ACL injury that kept him on the sidelines for the entire 2019-20 season.
