Indian football: Thrissur rises as a prominent hub for players in Kerala Women’s League
Indian football: Thrissur rises as a prominent hub for players in Kerala Women’s League
A few years ago, Aksa Mathew, M.G. Anjana, and V.J. Krishnendu were all part of FC Kuttanellur in Thrissur, dreaming of making it big someday. However, since Kuttanellur was not registered with the district association, the three football players were offered to other women’s football clubs.
They appear to have risen in prominence at their new clubs, as Aksa, Anjana, and Krishnendu will now captain Devagiri’s St. Joseph’s College, Kerala United FC, and Alagappa FC respectively in the sixth Kerala Women’s League (KWL), which begins in Kunnamkulam, Thrissur, on Thursday.
Thrissur stands out as a key hub in the KWL, which will have Eastea as its title sponsor and conclude on March 1. Two of the KWL’s six teams are from Thrissur and the captains of four teams (Megha Felix of Chalakudy’s City Club being the other) hail from the district.
“We have many of our girls playing for other clubs in the league. And now FC Kuttanellur has a tie-up with Alagappa FC, which will make its debut in this KWL,” P.A. Akhil, the coach of Kuttanellur and also Alagappa’s assistant, told Sportstar on Tuesday.
The KWL, which had seven teams last year, has only six this year – a situation the Kerala Football Association (KFA) plans to improve.
“We are trying to establish district leagues in women’s football to give our girls more opportunities, as India is better placed in the women’s section (69) than the men’s (126) in the FIFA world rankings. We aim to help India break into the top 50 in the women’s rankings,” said Navas Meeran, the president of the Kerala Football Association, during the KWL’s launch event in Kochi on Tuesday evening.
Plans are also underway to encourage some of the Super League Kerala clubs to field teams in the KWL.
“We are considering those options as well,” said the KFA president.
Defending champion Gokulam Kerala FC, a multiple champion in the Indian Women’s League, begins as the favourite, while last year’s runner-up Lords FA could also be a force to reckon with. The champion club, which will receive Rs. 2 lakh as prize money, will earn the opportunity to represent Kerala in the second division of the Indian Women’s League.
