KOCHI: The ‘end’ of the grand culmination of ‘Goal 2012’ all-Kerala inter-collegiate football tournament organised by The New Indian Express Group, is actually a beginning. Already, the 16 teams that participated in the tournament are looking forward to Goal 2013. Also, many teams that could not participate this time are awaiting the next edition of tournament.
"The tournament was not charted the last season’s calendar because of which we could not prepare in advance. However, next year onwards this tournament will be given prominence. Also, the competition will be tougher,” coach George Thomas, St Xavier’s College, Thumba. Various teams’ players and officials are more than glad to have experienced a platform like Goal 2012 that gave them an opportunity to showcase their talent.
“From the next season onwards, the tournament will get a prime slot in the match calendar of colleges across Kerala. The teams will prepare in advance to dominate the tournament”, Narayana Menon, Kerala Varma College coach said.
The sports personalities who came as guests during the tournament conveyed the same feelings. “The decline in the number of tournaments resulted in the pathetic state of football across Kerala. An inter-collegiate tournament will provide players a platform to sell themselves. It will boost the morale of the players as well as football in the state,” said former national hockey and football player Roofez Disouza.
The officials, coaches, players and guests unanimously called for the need of more such tournaments in the state and also lamented their thoughts about the poor standard of football grounds in Kerala. They demanded government should intervene to solve the problems soon and improve the quality of football in the state.