KOCHI: The State Government will take steps to maintain the practice venues set up as part of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Kochi and lack of funds will not hinder its upkeep, Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac said here on Sunday. He was speaking at the valedictory ceremony of the Seventh GOAL all-Kerala inter-collegiate football tournament organised by The New Indian Express.
Isaac presented the trophy to winners Sree Kerala Varma College (SKVC) Thrissur, who defeated city rivals St Thomas College 6-5 via tie-breaker after a barren regulation time. The third triumph, after 2012 and 2013, saw SKVC turn richer by `2 lakh.“Football is a people’s game and the most favourite sport in Kerala. However, I feel there’re two major issues which act as barriers to its growth in the state. The first is the dearth of adequate football grounds and second a lack of professionalism,” said Isaac.