FC Kochin likely to rope in foreign coach

Kochi, April 11: FC Kochin, who finished a creditable fourth in the National Football League, are likely to rope in some more foreign play...

Kochi, April 11: FC Kochin, who finished a creditable fourth in the National Football League, are likely to rope in some more foreign players and a coach, probably from Liberia, for the next season, according to sources within the club.

With the last date of the inter-club transfer fast approaching, the club is unable to check an exodus of players owing to a severe financial crisis. The club management has not been able to pay the full contract amount which resulted in most of the players leaving the club this season. Senior players like Vijayan and Jo Paul Ancheri have expressed their wish to continue with the club but not made up their mind.

Club director PV Paul is away to negotiate with the AIFF regarding the prize-money and the amount due to the club for winning matches. It is learnt that the club is looking for a new sponsor as the current sponsors are unlikely to extend the deal.

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FC Kochin are to get Rs 9 lakh for finishing fourth. Champions Mohun Bagan will get Rs 40 lakh, runners-up Churchill Brothers Rs 22 lakh and third-placed Salgaocar Rs 15 lakh.

FC Kochin could have finished third or even runners-up had they not thrown away some easy matches. At the same time, they had notched up unexpected victories against Salgaocar both home and away, and against Bagan in Calcutta.

MAJOR RESHUFFLE IN ITI: Meanwhile, The Bangalore-based Indian Telephone Industries, who just escaped the drop zone, has recruited 25 players including four from FC Kochin — defenders AS Feroz, KV Dhanesh, striker K Noushad and Mohammed Shefeek.

A top ITI official said the club has chalked out a budget of Rs 60 lakh for next season. This excludes the budget for a few foreign players who will be contracted only for NFL. Of the 25, 22 have already signed.

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“It’ll be a fresh-look for ITI next season. We have signed two players for each position plus three extras,” said the official.

Apart from Nigerians George Iekeh and Gabriel Emechete who had played last season, a striker from Vasco, Goa, Nigerian striker Jimmy and Omanian Yusuf Mohammed are in the list. The last two are students in Bangalore.

SBT APPOINT TWO: State Bank of Travancore, Thiruvananthapuram, who retained their position in the premier league, recently appointed Abdul Hakkim and Deepu Krishnan who represented the side as guest players. The club has also contracted Anson (Kerala Police), Noushad (Palakkad), Ajayan, Paul (both Kerala University), Mohammed Sawad (MG University), goalkeeper Harshal Rahman (Calicut University) as guest players.

SBT had approached FC Kochin players Feroz and goalkeeper Saji Joy but the players were not interested in full time jobs. Saji Joy has signed with FC Kochin.