Managed to live on for another day. Infact, they can now be relegated only on Matchday 3. But Kenkre's relegation is inevitable. The only reason they held on till now is because Sudeva Delhi is almost as weak as them.
It's high time Sudeva gets serious and sign good foreigners. We already lost Shillong Lajong who went with no foreigner policy.
This season, all teams other than Sudeva, Kenkre and ofcourse Indian Arrows took I-League seriously and made good signings. They are not playing I-League for the sake of it, they are showing their intent to fight for the title. It's just that GKFC was a bit too strong.
Kenkre FC was trying to reach I league with local Mumbai players since many years (11 year old proof above). So calling them “not serious “ or their historical victory as minor upset (that too against another relegation contender) is too much to take. They could have folded operations like many others, but they kept trying. So please don’t demean their efforts.
Sudeva defenders made a mockery by giving backpasses to their goalkeeper who was a nervous wreck . First goal was due to heavy first touch by goalkeeper. Third goal was a comical weak header by defender but goalkeeper didn't come forward.
There was no intention on my part to demean Kenkre FC or their efforts. When I said 'Minor upset", it was simply because of the fact that they had not won any match in the I-League whereas Sudeva Delhi had at least won two matches, one of them against Churchill Brothers. This is factually true. The word 'upset' does not imply any value judgment.
If a Leicester City wins the PL, it is called an "upset", isn't it? Other teams with much bigger budgets and more fancied players would have been considered runaway winners. But the fact that they "upset" many of these teams in spite of several constraints makes their win all the more "creditable" and does not "demean" them in any way.
When you say that Sudeva Delhi as a "relegation contender", which is of course factually true, you are yourself demeaning a club which is playing with Indian players and no foreigners, isn't it? They are also "trying", isn't it?
I was in Mumbai for some years and was following local footballing scene to some extent. I have massive respect for Kenkre and all other Mumbai clubs who have been active for a long time. Mumbai league is very stable (other than a corporate-private division few years back), but do not get enough national recognition, only Football Counter covers it nowadays.
But once you move up to national leagues, you have to improve the squad to match the level of your opponents. Especially in a league with relegation. They joined on short notice, however they had a 2-month break in between where almost all other teams strengthened their squad.
Even if they are relegated, they'll surely be back fighting for promotion. Because they are not franchises or corporate entries, they came up on merit.
Gokulam Kerala has an Italian coach. But their game style is very much unlike Italy. Italian teams are robust in defending Gokulam is very attack minded. It will be interesting to see how they will cope up in AFC cup
Gokulam Kerala have extended their lead at the top to 6 points. They just need 10 points from 5 matches to win the title. They can even claim it, at the earliest, after two more matches.
Gokulam Kerala’s form will be pain for ATKMB in May. Especially when Gokulam will be going into competition after just finishing I league, while ATKMB will be inactive for 3-4 weeks . This time the group stage will be super interesting.
Comments
Kenkre FC, winless till now, defeated Sudeva Delhi 3-0
But Kenkre's relegation is inevitable. The only reason they held on till now is because Sudeva Delhi is almost as weak as them.
It's high time Sudeva gets serious and sign good foreigners. We already lost Shillong Lajong who went with no foreigner policy.
This season, all teams other than Sudeva, Kenkre and ofcourse Indian Arrows took I-League seriously and made good signings. They are not playing I-League for the sake of it, they are showing their intent to fight for the title. It's just that GKFC was a bit too strong.
First goal was due to heavy first touch by goalkeeper. Third goal was a comical weak header by defender but goalkeeper didn't come forward.
If a Leicester City wins the PL, it is called an "upset", isn't it? Other teams with much bigger budgets and more fancied players would have been considered runaway winners. But the fact that they "upset" many of these teams in spite of several constraints makes their win all the more "creditable" and does not "demean" them in any way.
When you say that Sudeva Delhi as a "relegation contender", which is of course factually true, you are yourself demeaning a club which is playing with Indian players and no foreigners, isn't it? They are also "trying", isn't it?
Cheers!!
But once you move up to national leagues, you have to improve the squad to match the level of your opponents. Especially in a league with relegation. They joined on short notice, however they had a 2-month break in between where almost all other teams strengthened their squad.
Even if they are relegated, they'll surely be back fighting for promotion. Because they are not franchises or corporate entries, they came up on merit.
But their game style is very much unlike Italy.
Italian teams are robust in defending
Gokulam is very attack minded.
It will be interesting to see how they will cope up in AFC cup
NEROCA 0 - 2 Rajasthan United
(Biswa Darjee, Pedro Manzi)
Gokulam Kerala 2 - 0 RoundGlass Punjab
(Jourdaine Fletcher, Sreekuttan VS)
Sreenidi Deccan 2 - 2 Mohammedan