More professional clubs in the offing

The Kochi-based club is the brainchild of a veteran goalkeeper-turned-doctor, who had represented the Travancore-Kochi football team in the fifties. In Kozhikode, the men behind Independence Buds, a leading club side, have already begun their attempts towards setting up the city’s first professional club, while Brothers Club is all set to usher in professionalism to the Kannur football. The organisers have already conveyed their plans in this regard to the Kerala Football Association.

“In fact we had been toying with the idea for the past three years,” said one of the organisers of the Kochi-based club who preferred to remain anonymous. `Serious discussions in this direction had begun even before the formation of FC Kochin.”

However, the men behind the proposed club, a group of soccer-loving businessmen, plan to follow a different style of functioning. “Our plans are totally different from that of FC Kochin. We are not aiming immediate results. We will chalk out a long-term coaching plan for the players. More importantly the club will consist of young and talented Keralites only. Our primary intention is the development of the game in the state,” the official said. “Presently we are discussing the financial aspects of the club. We are also trying to rope in corporate houses as sponsors.” There is also an attempt to attract membership.

The Independence Buds, a club floated by a leading transport company a few years ago, has also decided to turn professional. “We thought the soccer-crazy city of Kozhikode was the apt place to launch such a club,” said a club spokesman. “The project is yet to be finalised. Though a majority of the players would be playing on a contract basis, we feel that at least some of them should be given jobs in the city.” He indicated that the club would spend money for players from abroad too, if necessary.

Kannur Brothers, one of the oldest clubs in the state has already started recruiting prominent players on a contract basis, on their way to attaining full professional status. The club’s sparkling performance in the recent All Kerala championship held at Thiruvananthapuram was a revelation.

The Kerala Football Association assures its full support to any efforts by the soccer enthusiasts to form professional clubs. “Professionalism, with good intentions, will indeed help the development of the game,” said the KFA secretary K Bodhanadan.

The second fully professional club side of India will come into being in Mumbai in December. The Bengal Bombay FC, which is being launched by three Non Resident Indians and five other businessman, has reportedly applied for registration with the Western India Football Association.