Interview | New recruit Jesus Jimenez aims to spearhead Blasters’ ISL title quest

It’s a demanding job to be Kerala Blasters’ foreign striker. The team’s latest recruit Jesus Jimenez is raring to supply the goals and assists while fully acknowledging that a one-man army is not the way forward to realise the Yellow Army’s wish for Indian Super League silverware.

It’s a demanding job to be Kerala Blasters’ foreign striker. The team’s latest recruit Jesus Jimenez is raring to supply the goals and assists while fully acknowledging that a one-man army is not the way forward to realise the Yellow Army’s wish for Indian Super League silverware.

The Spaniard — who has the added responsibility of replacing last year’s Golden Boot winner Dimitrios Diamantakos — said his primary objective was not to outshoot his predecessor but to spearhead Blasters’ championship quest.

“Yes, I know about last season’s striker (Diamantakos). I am very happy for him. But, I’ve come here to help the team in every way possible. It will be good if I win the Golden Boot, but, of course, the most important thing is the team,” Jimenez said in an exclusive chat with The Hindu.

Sporting Director Karolis Skinkys had to search long and hard in the transfer window for the next No. 9 and there were concerns among the fans as the start of the season got closer and closer.

The forward’s arrival was announced by KBFC on August 30, just about a fortnight before the ISL opener.

However, Jimenez’s focus is not on the lost time but on acclimatising to Indian conditions and morphing his game to fit into manager Mikael Stahre’s system.

“Joining a new league in another country is always difficult as different leagues have different requirements. The humidity and the temperature here can be tough on players and I have to adapt to it as quickly as possible.