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Viva carries Kerala's hopes

Stan Rayan

KOCHI: As they packed their bags and got ready for the train to Kozhikode, one could notice the young Viva Kerala players burdened with the weight of expectation. It's been two years since a team from Kerala figured in the premier National Football League and the youngsters are aware that their performance in the forthcoming Second Division's final phase will be watched very closely.

"We'll be playing in our football heartland and I know a lot of people will be expecting a lot from us," said the Viva Kerala captain R. Dhanarajan at Udyogamandal on Friday, before leaving for the final phase which gets off in Kozhikode on Sunday. "We will play our hearts out."

The team's star striker Baba Tunde, who topped the first phase goal-scorers' table with seven goals, was bubbling with confidence but added that pressure would play a big part.

"If we can stand the pressure, we can win," said the 21-year-old Nigerian, who has struck in all the four games he figured in.

When twelve teams kicked off the Second Division's first phase in Kochi and at Duler (Goa) a few weeks ago, fighting for the six final phase berths, one felt both the Kerala teams in the fray — the State Bank of Travancore being the other entry — would progress to Kozhikode without much fuss.

Disappointment at Goa

Hopes were further strengthened when the Thiruvananthapuram-based SBT signed its first two foreigners, sending out some very positive signals. But while Viva grabbed one of the three spots from Kochi after finishing runner-up to Salgaocar, there was only disappointment for SBT, which had figured in the premier NFL just two years ago.

"Our two foreigners were not up to the mark," said the SBT coach K.P. Sethumadhavan after his team finished fifth in Goa.

"Oh, they missed too many chances, some even with an open net in front. And since we've not qualified for the final phase, we've sent them back. There's no point keeping them."

Apart from Viva Kerala, Salgaocar, Vasco (both Goa), Kolkota's Chirag United, Mumbai's ONGC and Bangalore's Army XI will battle it out in Kozhikode with the top two finishers progressing to next season's premier NFL.

Sethumadhavan now feels Viva Kerala, which was formed just three years ago, has a good chance of making the grade. "Salgaocar is sure of taking one of the berths and if Baba Tunde and Viva maintain their form, Viva will make it too. Of course, Chirag will be giving Viva a tough fight," said the SBT coach. "The other teams, including Vasco, are not so strong."

Even Salgaocar is beatable, says Baba Tunde, who played for Dempo, the current premier NFL leader, two years ago. "I didn't see anything special in Salgaocar. Of course, we lost but our main players did not play that match because we had already qualified for the final phase," he said. "Still, you cannot predict anything."

"We are very determined, that's all I can say. We are determined to win."

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