Legends of Kerala football join hands to set up academy

MALAPPURAM: Legends of Kerala football have joined hands to set up a new academy, aiming to establish a professional club by the end of 2028. Novus Soccer Academy is led by former Indian captain U Sharaf Ali and I M Vijayan is appointed the technical advisor. Former Kerala team captain Victor Manjila is the training advisor while K T Chacko, Kurikesh Mathew, Jo Paul Ancheri, and Asif Saheer are part of the special observation panel.  The website of the academy was launched at a function held in Malappuram on Monday. 

Chief coordinator Sharaf Ali said the academy will be launched in five phases. “We will coach children in the 6-16 age group. In the first phase, Non-Residential Novus Academy and E-Novus Academy will be launched. The Non-Residential Academy will be run in association with the schools in the state. The schools will need to give access to their grounds to associate with the academy.

All other support, including syllabus and modern equipment for football training, will be provided by the academy. The students who perform well will get scholarships and chances to play for professional clubs,” Sharaf Ali said.  The E-Novus Academy provides online coaching to students across the state. In the second phase, a residential academy will be set up at Areekode.

“The residential academy will have a FIFA-standard turf and other high-class facilities, including a gymnasium and a sports hostel,” he said. 

The football legends plan to establish a professional football club under the academy. “In the third phase, the academy will set up a sports complex with a basketball court, volleyball court, badminton court, and a swimming pool. In the fourth phase, special training programmes for coaches and referees will be launched. In the fifth phase, a professional football club will be formed under the academy.

The goal will be achieved by 2028,” he said. Sharaf Ali said the academy will help create good national and international players for the country. “It is my dream project. As it demands huge financial investment, I had to do a lot of homework before launching it. My friends and former teammates supported me,” Sharaf Ali said.

Retired DGP Rishiraj Singh is the chief advisor of the academy. Kamal Varadoor and P C Sasidharan are the media advisor and legal advisor, respectively.