The former England international was a player cum manager at Kerala Blasters in the inaugural ISL season…
Former Liverpool goalkeeper David James, who served Kerala Blasters both as a player and a coach, chose the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi as the best stadium atmosphere he ever experienced in his career.
James was Kerala Blasters' player-cum-coach in the inaugural season of the Indian Super League (ISL) in 2014. Later, in January 2018, he took over the club as a manager, after Rene Meulensteen was sacked midway through the 2017/18 ISL season. He managed the club until January 2019.
In a recent interaction, David James was asked about the best atmosphere he ever experienced. “The Kerala Blasters in the inaugural season of the Indian Super League (ISL)," he told Goal.
“We had 60,000 plus people in a game of football and for an hour before kick-off, it was just a wall of noise. During the game, it was a wall of noise and after the game, it was a wall of noise. And I have never played football in so much noise for so long. That was incredible and very surprising.
“Atmosphere, every club I have been is fantastic but that one moment was when I realised football in India was as passionate as anywhere else in the world.”
It is undoubtedly a flattering statement for the Indian club coming from a player who played at some of the biggest clubs in England with passionate fan bases like Liverpool, Manchester City, West Ham United, Portsmouth and more.
In fact, Anfield is known to have one of the best atmospheres in club football.
James also represented the English national team in 53 international matches whose supporters are considered one of the most passionate fans in world football.