KOCHI: Bino George is witness to the changing times in Indian football. George, who is the technical director of football at Gokulam Kerala FC is hoping that his carefully assembled squad can get their hands on the Durand Cup — Asia’s oldest cup competition. Gokulam will play their first match on August 8 against former ISL champions Chennaiyin FC.   

The prestige of the tournament may have diminished over time, but Gokulam are currently focussed on winning the trophy.

“Before the tournament, a lot of participating teams were planning to field their reserve teams which is an indication of how the Cup is looked at by clubs now. We have sent our first team and as far as we are concerned, it is a very significant Cup,” George said.

George remembers a time when it was one of the most coveted trophies in India.

“During my playing days, it was massive with all the I-League teams fighting it out for the trophy. It was very significant because the best teams from the country participated in the event. Every tournament in India had its own significance back then,” the 42-year-old said.

FC Kochin won the trophy in 1997 after beating Mohun Bagan 3-1 in the final and George says that it made a lasting impression on football in the state. Fast forward to 2019 and Gokulam are Kerala’s representatives in the Cup — the state’s ISL outfit Kerala Blasters are giving it a miss.

They have strengthened their squad in the summer. Former Chennaiyin player Bruno Pelssari has been the biggest name to sign for the Malabarians. They have also retained Trinidad and Tobago forward Marcus Joseph who helped them avoid relegation.

Ugandan attacker Henry Kisekka has been brought back after spending last season at Mohun Bagan. But they have lost a couple of their youngsters to Kerala Blasters with Arjun Jayaraj being the most notable name. Jayaraj was one of the best players in the I-League last season. Goalkeeper Shibin Raj has also joined Blasters. George doesn’t see this as poaching but feels that the likes of Gokulam are turning into feeder clubs for the ISL. The lure of the ISL is too good to resist for young players like Jayaraj.

“It is true that players who play in the I-League want to play in the ISL. They are attracted by the better pay and facilities that ISL clubs provide. We are losing our top players to the likes of Blasters. The only way to stay competitive is to turn to young players and bring them up. Blasters disbanded their reserve team but we haven’t done that. That tells you the story.”