Kerala Blasters have appointed Swede Mikael Stahre as head coach replacing Ivan Vukomanovic who left the club last month after three seasons.
Stahre, 48, has signed a two-year contract with the Indian Super League side and is expected to link-up with the first team at the start of preseason. Stahre is the 12th coach (including interim) to manage the Blasters since the club's inception in 2014.
The Swede has nearly two decades of experience having worked with clubs in Sweden, China, Norway, USA and Thailand. According to the Blasters, Stahre is the first Swede to manage an ISL club.
“After some really inspiring and positive discussions with the management, I’m delighted to be joining Kerala Blasters - a fantastic privilege,” Stahre was quoted by the club.
Blasters' Sporting Director Karolis Skinkys said they followed due process in recruiting Stahre. “It was a long marathon of many interviews and discussions to decide who fit the role best. Mikael is an excellent candidate, full of hunger and motivation, who ticked all the boxes of what we were looking for in our coach. He possesses immense experience and strong leadership. I’m happy to have Mikael on board and I look forward to working together,” Skinkys said.