The finals of the 9th SBT GV Raja All-India Football Tournament 2012 promises much and with the quality on display it would take a real pessimist to disagree. As the two teams take field to earn the right to lift the coveted trophy the match will hold more significant so as to decide the top dogs of Kerala football, which SBT have rightfully reigned for the last decade.
But now the old warriors are back in town to reclaim their lost throne and none more than the legend himself IM Vijayan is there to inspire and if need be to take it upon himself to make sure the mission is accomplished.
SBT coach VP Shaji would be hoping that the curse of last years penalty shootout heartbreak has been put to rest with a tie breaker victory against Travancore Titanium XI in the semi final. Bankmen can hope for a much more open game against Kerala Police who themselves have played some enterprising football through out the tournament.
There is much to savor about the way the Bankers have played in the tournament and especially the youngster Prasoon R who has shown good promise with his nimble footwork and ability to cross the ball from the wings. The youngster was rewarded with a start in the semi but could not make an impact as he was marked out of the game by the Titanium defence.
SBT would have an edge in experience with a cluster of Kerala Santosh Trophy players in the starting eleven. At the back Jean Christian would be brimming with confidence after his exploits during the semi finals where he blocked two spot kicks from Titanium. With a rock solid defence which has let only two goals through out this tournament, SBT has solid defence to build upon.
The likes of Rinil CJ and Shibin Lal holds the midfield together with the captain Abdul Noushad operating on the wings. The two strikers Aslam AG and Usman P would trouble any defence with their blistering pace .
The comparison to the great teams of Kerala Police from the past although inevitable is slightly unfair. This newly bred team hasn’t had a long time to gel but early signs are good and encouraging. Sharaf Ali is a hard task master and you will be hard pressed to find a more suitable person to mould the next generation of top quality Kerala footballers.
The defense has been solid while the wing backs have been adventurous and has been joining in on attacks whenever possible. Nazarudeen has been the stand out player for the policemen with the youngster among the top scorers of the tournament with six goals so far. Gipson Justus capped off his great display in midfield with a stunning solo goal against KSEB in the semi finals.
For those who were sceptical about IM Vijayan’s involvement in the tournament the legend has answered in style and allayed the fears of being a liability to a young team. His cameo performance in the previous matches have left the people of Trivandrum awe struck and the young generation seem to be asking the question “If this is him at the age of 43 what was he like during his prime?”.
The biggest cheers of the tournament has been so far reserved for the black pearl of Indian football. The class of the man was none more so evident during the semis when the police youngsters were finding it difficult to break down the stubborn KSEB defence, and as their heads were dropping Sharaf Ali introduced the master during the final 10 minutes and he changed the game on its head. His free kick in stoppage time finding Prasanth Simon inside the box who headed home to seal the victory for Kerala Police. For all the deft touches and the mesmerizing skills what was most heartening was his willingness at the age of 43 to run back and fight for a ball to which he lost possession of.
The Bankmen would be hoping to go one step further this time around as they faulted on the last hurdle last time around against the Jammu & Kashmir Bank. SBT will start the match as favourites on account of superior experience they have compared to the youngsters of Kerala Police. The policemen though would hope to fill that void of inexperience with exuberance and valour.
A big crowd is expected on the final day as it would probably be the final chance for the people of Thiruvananthapuram to witness IM Vijayan in a competitive match.
Rohan Shah writes for FootballKerala.com
From the archive. First published on footballkerala.com on Tuesday 2 October 2012. The database copy of this article was lost; it was recovered in 2026 from the Internet Archive's saved copy of the live page.