Eelco Schattorie. (TOI Photo)

KOCHI: Being the head coach of a popular football club has its pros and cons. If the team keeps winning games, you will receive a lot of plaudits. But if the results don't go their way, a lot of flak will come your way and if the team shows no sign of improvement, the job will be on the line sooner than you think.

The head coach position of Kerala Blasters, the Indian Super League club with the biggest fan base, has been like a rolling stone. Eight managerial changes in just six seasons mean that head coaches of Blasters have found the going tough with the Kerala-based club.

After one of their worst-ever seasons in ISL, where they finished ninth in standings and even saw a section of their fans boycotting their home matches, the Blasters have entrusted Eelco Schattorie with the task of reviving their fortunes. Having seen several ups and downs in Indian football, the man in the hot seat, Shattorie, perhaps knows that having a big fan base can be a double-edged sword and wants to temper their expectations before the season starts.

"In football, you need a good start and if you have that start the momentum keeps coming. But if you fail to get that start people begin to complain. Hopefully, we can overcome that. And I hope to get a good start to the season and keep the momentum going and if that doesn't happen I want the supporters to be patient and keep on supporting the club. Because first, we are a new team. Secondly, we have a lot of young players. The thing with youngsters is that sometimes they give everything and sometimes they will succumb to pressure since they don't have much-needed experience. It's all about patience," said the Dutch manager while speaking to the reporters in Kochi on Tuesday.

Shattorie already has indicated that he wouldn't be a populist coach. In the practice game against Real Kashmir FC, which Blasters lost by a solitary goal, the former NorthEast United took the gamble of replacing budding star and fan favourite Sahal Abdul Samad midway. But the coach explains his logic behind the move. "Why would I play someone who I think does not give back something which I want. In the end, I take the decision which I think is good for the team and whether people like it or not, it's their problem. I cannot play someone because somebody likes somebody. I'll never hesitate to take tough decisions," the 47-year old said.

The Blasters' pre-season hasn't got to the best of starts as they had to call off their tour to UAE after just one practice game. The team has also been dogged by injuries to some key players. But the coach isn't too perturbed. "Mario Arques was injured from the first day of pre-season, the centre-back Jairo Rodrigues has a knee injury and is in the process of recovery. Sandesh Jhingan and Sahal Abdul Samad were absent during the pre-season. The back-line is not ready. It's been five weeks since we started our camp and in these five weeks, I could not play my starting XI even once. But that does not mean that we are in trouble. Hopefully, we can catch up in upcoming three weeks," Schattorie signed off exuding confidence.

