Return
to Story Page
To print: Select File and then Print from your
browser's menu
Ravi Menon
KANNUR, July 24: Forget the staggering standards of soccer set by France '98. The dream is over, and for the desi soccer fan, it's time to get back to reality. The South Zone qualifying phase of the Federation Cup, one of the prestigious football tournaments at the domestic level, will kick-off, here, tomorrow.
Yet another classic example of unimaginative scheduling on the part of the All-India Football Federation, the tournament faces the threat of a wash-out. It's rainy season in Kerala and the playing conditions at the Municipal Jawahar Stadium were nothing less than `nightmarish', to quote a club official.
``Rain or no rain, we have to finish off the schedule in time,'' says the Cannanore District Football Association (CDFA), the organisers of the tournament -- a statement that could well be a pointer to the abysmal fare that await the fans. The organisers are also planning to scrap the extra-time, and employ the penalty shoot-out straightway if the 90-minute regulation time fails to break the KANNUR, July 24: Forget the staggering standards of soccer set by France '98. The dream is over, and for the desi soccer fan, it's time to get back to reality. The South Zone qualifying phase of the Federation Cup, one of the prestigious football tournaments at the domestic level, will kick-off, here, tomorrow.
Yet another classic example of unimaginative scheduling on the part of the All-India Football Federation, the tournament faces the threat of a wash-out. It's rainy season in Kerala and the playing conditions at the Municipal Jawahar Stadium were nothing less than `nightmarish', to quote a club official.
``Rain or no rain, we have to finish off the schedule in time,'' says the Cannanore District Football Association (CDFA), the organisers of the tournament -- a statement that could well be a pointer to the abysmal fare that await the fans. The organisers are also planning to scrap the extra-time, and employ the penalty shoot-out straightway if the 90-minute regulation time fails to break thedeadlock.
The only silver lining, it seems, will be the presence of a new-look FC Kochin team. The Coca-Cola sponsored club, let down by its expensive imports for a major part of the last season, is pinning high hopes on its young brigade which includes 11 Tata Football Academy products.
FC Kochin have retained the services of goalkeeper Ali Abubaker and attacking midfielder Abu Joma, the duo from abroad who donned the club colours last year.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
------------------------------------------------------------
This story was printed from Net Express located at http://www.expressindia.com. Net Express provides a portal to India, with news from The Indian Express and The Financial Express along with sites on travel and tourism, the entertainment industry, the power sector, the environment and much more.
------------------------------------------------------------