New Football Team for Kozhikode Launched in Super League Kerala
Kozhikode / June 15, 2024
Kozhikode, June 15: Kozhikode, where the passion for football knows no bounds, will have a brand new team to represent the district in the recently launched Super League Kerala (SLK). This was announced by Mr V.K. Mathews, the franchise owner of the team, at a press meet on Saturday.
The official logo of the team was released on the occasion by Shri M.K. Raghavan, MP, in the presence of Kerala Football Association President Shri Navas Meeran.
Shri Raghavan noted that Kozhikode has been cherishing the hope of raising an international-level football stadium. “To realize the dream, we need entrepreneurs such as V.K. Mathews,” he said. “We will try for a public-private partnership to achieve the goal.”
Addressing media persons, Mr Mathews said “The fan-following for football in Kerala is one of the highest in the country, and Kozhikode district is the epicentre of football frenzy as witnessed during the last world cup. Several Keralites have represented India in the past and Kerala entered the finals of Santhosh Trophy for seven consecutive years from the late 1980s to mid-’90s. We need to regain our past glory and hope to achieve this by giving international exposure to the budding talents in the state. There is no better way to start this than by having a new professional football team for Kozhikode.”
Professional football league symbolizes Kerala’s confidence as a state aspiring for investment, Mr Mathews said. “As India’s century is on its way, we must be able to emerge as a dominant power in all fields, including football.”
Shri Meeran noted that football in Kerala will undergo amazing changes once the state creates a situation where professionals in the game can earn a decent livelihood. “For this, we need to bring in excellent practice facilities from the sub-junior level,” he said. “Towards this, we are creating a situation to host no less than 2,100 football-matches a year. Super League Kerala will be the latest endeavour to achieve the result.”
SLK, conducted on the same lines as Indian Super League, will be the premier sporting event in Kerala. Six teams from different districts will participate in the League which starts on September 1 in Kochi. Thirty matches will be played in the preliminary rounds, each team participating in ten matches (five at the home ground and five away). The top four teams advance to the play-off stage.
The Kozhikode team, called the Calicut Football Club, will comprise 25 players, six of whom from overseas, 7 India players and 12 from Kerala. The head coach will be from overseas. The home ground for Calicut Football Club will be the Kozhikode Municipal Corporation Stadium.
The franchise owner of Calicut Football Club will be Mr V.K. Mathews, Executive Chairman of IBS Group. IBS group of companies includes IBS Software, one of the most accomplished technology companies in the world for the global travel industry. The company has over 5,000 employees from 42 nationalities, across 17 offices worldwide, including four in India and two in Kerala.
“The objectives of owning a club are several. We hope to develop and enhance the quality of football in the state, create an enabling ecosystem for the aspiring football players, generate an economic means for the professionals and nurture youth towards sports and games,” Mr Mathews added. “As an investor in the state, we see our progress linked to the future of the state, which in turn is linked to its youth. Investing in sports is investing in youth. SLK and Calicut Football Club will contribute to the empowerment of the youth by providing them opportunities to develop into outstanding citizens.”
ENDS
