KOCHI: FC Kerala were looking for one last push to stay in the hunt for I-League qualification when the coronavirus outbreak left them in a lurch. Even though they were third in their group, with three home games remaining, they were in with a realistic chance to make the next round and push for promotion.
However, with the All India Football Federation deciding to cancel the rest of the season, clubs like FC Kerala are in limbo.
The AIFF, however, is planning to hold a tournament of shorter duration ahead of the next I-League season but there are question marks over which teams will get to compete in it and on what criterion.
FC Kerala have not hidden their ambitions to compete in the I-League but they are unsure about the way forward. "Our primary goal is to be a team from Kerala that competes in the I-League. We were in with a chance to qualify. Now we have no idea what's going to happen and what's the way forward," said club head coach TG Purushothaman.
He is also one of the directors of the club, which was formed in 2014 and admitted that the club is feeling the effects of the coronavirus lockdown.
"Our main income is our soccer school. The fees which are generated from the school and the money we get from sponsors were used to meet the expenses of the senior team. Because of COVID-19, the school had to be shut and we were left without an income. Most of the admissions come in the February-April period. We get almost half of our budget from the schools. A promoter is sponsoring us and so we are getting through for the moment," he said.
The club is hoping to hear from the AIFF soon so that they can prepare accordingly. "Paying players' salaries and managing their contracts is a big concern now. Whether we get to play in the qualification tournament for the next I-League season will determine how we act in the transfer window. If we play, then we'll need foreign players, who can not just win us promotion, but also have the quality to compete in the I-League. If not, we'll need a different strategy and plan. Things are very complicated right now," said Purushothaman.
FC Kerala are playing in the I-League 2nd Division for the second time after the 2017-18 season and they hope to take the next step into the I-League soon.
"Other than Kerala Blasters and Gokulam Kerala FC, we also want to represent Kerala at the national stage. We have already groomed good young players like Jithin MS and Christy Davis. The board of directors is going to meet after the lockdown to plan ahead but the pandemic has complicated matters for us. But we are optimistic about the future," he said.