KOCHI: “Son, football is my religion. Sevens is its Antichrist,” said Fr Geevarghese’s father in N S Madhavan’s celebrated short story ‘Higuita’ echoing the sentiment that many purists still hold close to their chest.
However, the reality is exactly the opposite. When renowned clubs - including FC Kochin, Viva Kerala and other department teams like KSRTC and Keltron - shut their shop for various reasons, it’s the sevens tournaments that provide the financial support and the jam-packed galleries to the players.
Though sevens football grounds do not hold up in quality and prove to induce injury for players, they remain the lifeline for football in the state. Many blame on sevens’ lack of interest developing academy players, but nationally recognised Kerala players are the products of such tournaments.
“Sevens emerged from the ashes of many defunct full-fledged tournaments in the state. It expanded the football from the minimal territory of departmental teams and most importantly sustained the public’s passion for the game,” said Muhammed Ashraf Bava, general secretary of the All Kerala Sevens’ Football Association (SFA).
Apart from the major tournaments in Malappuram, SFA organises 50 tournaments across the state.