Rumours on AFC scrapping ‘Vision Kerala’ project untrue: KFA
As rumours floated and a news paper reporting that the Asian Football Federation (AFC) is on the verge of withdrawing the support to Kerala Football Association (KFA) regarding the Vision India – Kerala Project. Football Kerala talks to KFA Secretary KP Sunny to find out the reality
According to certain reports, the governing body for football in Asia is not happy with management of the project by the KFA Officials. The main reasons for the trouble are KFA’s hesitation to reorganize the state’s football association and to start a professional football league in the state. The AFC had earlier withdrawn from Delhi for the same reasons.
The report claims that as per AFC’s recommendation, the state football association should be managed by a General Secretary with specification qualifications and Technical and Administrative Officers under him. Most of the officials who now adorn high positions at the Kerala Football association will lose their jobs if this is implemented properly and thus, KFA keeps their eyes closed on this aspect.
At the same time, AFC is pleased with the ‘Grass root and Youth Development’ in the state including the Kerala State Schools League. It is clear that majority of these youth events were held under the supervision of the Kerala State Sports Council and not under the Kerala Football Association says the report.
KFA also failed in starting a professional Kerala football league based on home and away fixtures of clubs across the state. The KFA also tried to highlight the Ernakulam District football championship as the State league in the eyes of the Asian officials. AFC has studied the situations and has summoned the KFA President to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
When contacted by FootballKerala.com KFA Secretary KP Sunny said that these are just rumours and not everything the report carries is true. “KFA President is in Malaysia for personal reasons and is nothing related to AFC. However there are chances that he may meet AFC officials.”
On the issue of Kerala State Football League, he said “There are many problems involved in conducting State League in the manner they say. We all know that the clubs in the state don’t own grounds unlike the European clubs, nor does KFA has one. So home and away fixtures can not be done as easily as they say. They saw all these when they were here. So they knows it”.
He also said that there are plans of conducting the state league soon.
