Arunava about Football A look at football & the world through my eyes!
Related Articles
Gokulam Kerala FC wrote themselves into the history books on the final day of the 2020-21 I-League season by beating their closest challengers TRAU to claim the title and become the first team from Kerala to do so. It was also a fairytale end to the campaign for head coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese in his first season in charge.
The Italian is confident that his side can maintain those levels of performance as they prepare to defend their crown.
“We will always work hard. We have a lot of new players in the squad and it is important for them to keep impressing all the time for the next generation of players,” he said.
Despite assembling a relatively young squad, Annese was pleased with the local flavour.
“We have scouted and promoted a lot of players from our state league (Kerala Premier League) and this is important for us as it gives us squad depth,” he said.
The Malabarians participated in the Durand Cup in September before heading to Goa for a training camp and some practice matches in preparation for the upcoming I-League season.
“The team is preparing well. The Durand Cup was good for us to test ourselves against different levels of teams. It has given us things to work on while attacking and defending,” said Annese.
Having coached the Belize national football team before taking over at Gokulam Kerala FC, Annese is targeting further glory.
“I would love to be the first foreign coach to win successive titles,” he said. “But it will be difficult as we have a new and young team with lesser experience at this level than last time out. But we will try to win the title regardless.”
