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Kolkata is often referred to as the ‘Mecca of Indian football’, while clubs from Goa have been winning the India league title for the last six years and the North-East is considered to be the future hub. Another region that is equally crazy about football and has no dearth of talent is Kerala.
The southern state is passionately in love with the beautiful game, producing some of the best talents in Indian football history like VP Sathyan, IM Vijayan, Jo Paul Ancheri to name a few and India’s first real professional club was also from Kerala, FC Kochin.
But the FC Kochin project didn’t last for too long and that basically started the downfall of Kerala football as there is no club from that region in the I-League currently and the state league has been virtually non-existent, while only two clubs have been cleared to play in this season’s second division – Josco FC and Eagles FC.
Therefore the timing of the India – Palestine friendly at Kochi’s Nehru Stadium on February 6 couldn’t have been better. The call-up for Prayag United’s CK Vineeth to the national team, with teammate K Asif in the standby list, has been the icing on the cake.
Kerala are also the co-hosts of this year’s Santosh Trophy but given the decline in interest of that competition, it’s fair to say that the state needed the boost of an international friendly.
2004 was the last time Kerala hosted an international match when India met Oman in a World Cup qualifier at the Nehru Stadium in Kochi. India might have lost the game 5-1 but the attendance of 48,000 was proof of the state’s passion for the sport.
Vineeth – Prayag’s number 30
“It is fantastic that have I been included in the national squad for a match in my home state. Even Asif is in the reckoning so this will definitely be a big thing in Kerala and I am expecting a big turnout,” an ecstatic Vineeth, who could win his first international cap, told Sportskeeda.
With no I-League action in the state, the only real attraction for football fans is the famous sevens tournament. So this match provides the perfect opportunity for the Kerala Football Association to attract young football fans to the ground as they are usually only following European football.
However, it seems the state association are playing the waiting game as the match tickets are yet to be on sale.
“We will announce it after a press conference on February 1st and aim to keep the prices as low as possible,” Kerala Football Association secretary Anil Kumar told Sportskeeda.
But is five days enough to promote the game? The match was confirmed on January 15 and surely the tickets could have been on sale much earlier as there has been plenty of interest in the match on social media networks.
It’s debatable whether cricket is starting to make the most of the downfall of football in the state as recently there was an IPL team and the recent ODI match between India and England also had a good attendance.
With virtually no return from the I-League, businessmen are reluctant to spend heavily on football and the disbandment of FC Kochin and most recently the problems at Viva Kerala will continue to repel potential investors.
Mohun Bagan striker Anil Kumar, who was the second highest Indian scorer in 2010-11 I-League and earned a call-up to the national team, believes that football still remains the number one sport in the state and talked about the possible impact of the Palestine friendly.
Kochi’s Nehru Stadium
“Football is still number one in Kerala. Even in IPL matches you didn’t get much crowd and in the sevens tournament you actually get more people than I-League matches. The international friendly could act as a lifeline for Kerala football and it’s great that Vineeth is in the team and Asif also has a chance,” Anil told Sportskeeda.
“The inclusion of Vineeth and Asif shows that there is plenty of talent here. However there is no real investment and although it’s true that there is not much of a return from the I-League, we have to remember that in any business you won’t get profits instantly. Maybe this friendly will raise a few eyebrows and give new life to Kerala football,” Anil added.
A turnout similar to the 2004 India – Oman game will be a great advertisement not only for Indian football but also for Kerala football, and it’s up to the state’s football fraternity now to take advantage and revive the beautiful game in this football-loving region.
