Kerala football fever and err… Communism
Published July 7, 2010 | Kerala and West Bengal, the football crazy states of India are having a great time with the FIFA world cup getting to its final stages. Even the hilarious ‘Laka Laka’ Mallu song on YouTube has caught the national spotlight! The state rooted for Brazil and Argentina with fan clubs watching it here like they are cheering for India. Somehow with football Kerala gets more affected than even cricket, the national religion.
Coming from Calicut, I remember watching Nehru Trophy matches at the Stadium Ground. The ruckus they created, the collective groans and cheers are to be seen to be believed. Malabar people come out with vigour when they watch football and everyone’s an expert, I have heard shouts like, ‘attack the goalie’, or ‘poke his eyes out’, ‘change that guy‘ – rants’ being made with murderous looks. Ha ha!
Sitting in Kochi now I miss the spectacle being played out at the numerous cafes, clubs, and reading rooms in Calicut. They know all the details of scores of yore, lost chances and tactics and argue at the drop of a hat and even place bets. Scuffles were also common among friends during matches of opposing teams. Such drama hardly happens for cricket matches in Kerala, though with IPL Kochi team in the fray now, there is scope for similar stuff.
However, taking up causes far, far away has not been new for Kerala; Communism has seen Keralites and Bengalis shouting slogans for Cuba, Korea, Russia and even China. Even President Bush had been a popular effigy being burnt on the Kerala coast. Strange are the dynamics of this connection but then like football, we also tend to obsess about certain ideologies even if they don’t seem feasible these days. Keralites with communist leanings will speak of the life and times of Che Guevera, Karl Marx, Lenin, Castro and the like with ease.
So, here I’m left wondering did the football craze come years ago through Communism to the state. Hmm! If you are living in Kerala, there comes a time when you think- ‘Am I communist?‘ Nowadays it’s a mere thought, though it probably was a phase in a person’s life decades ago and a way of life much earlier. Like the Latin American countries with their Communism and their football craze, did football come to us in Kerala the communist way? Whatever be the reason for the football craze, even if communism doesn’t stay football is too deep-rooted in Kerala to fizzle out.
This Sunday like most people, I too am ready for the match on the big screen with a lot of crazy football fans. Food and drinks to flow; along with agonies and ecstasies. Though Brazil and Argentina have been routed out, the state seems to be coming together for Spain and The Netherlands. There is a delightful polarizing happening, bets being placed and Twitter tweets all playing a part to build up the excitement. Did I mention the number of LCD TVs being bought? Sony had a unique free World Cup replica football offer on. Paul, the Oracle octopus, is being discussed at length as well!
Kerala is ready, and nothing beats the joy of a sport, it’s a pure joy that’s frankly like no other! So, who are you supporting? 
Kerala IT firm develops an online version of Euro 2008
Published June 23, 2008 | Thiruvananthapuram: While the whole world is in the grip of Euro 2008 soccer fever, an IT company in Kerala has come up with an innovative online version of this popular football match.
The game, ‘Penalty Game Euro 2008′ has duration of 10-minutes and is created by Invision Technologies (Pvt) Ltd. It features all the 16 participating teams in the ongoing Euro 2008 championship.
Developed for a Dutch travel company, this virtual football game has become a huge hit that the client has already placed the order for a second game, which would have more interesting features than the first part of the game.
In the first series of interactive penalty shoot-out game, only the Dutch team takes the penalty kick against the other teams. This online version would satiate the football mania of many of the die hard fans of this game who could not make it to the live game venues.
Kerala in the grip of soccer fever
Published June 12, 2008 | 
Calicut: As the Euro 2008 fever is gripping the world, its heat is also being in the distant shores of Kerala, where football is a way of life for many. The die hard aficionados’ throng in flocks to catch up the action of their favorite teams at the big screens kept at public places. The coastal areas of Kozhikode are already in the grip of this frenzied game.
People of all age assemble at places where huge projectors and television sets are mounted for the people to watch their favorite team in action. The Malabar belt of Kerala especially Kozhikode, Tellicherry and Kannur follow the game closely and football is more than just a game in this part of the state where it is a timeless passion and much more! The tradition of football started a long time ago in these areas and even today it is the most popular game in the State, retaining its past glory and fame.
The multitude of sports clubs is cited to be one of the main reasons for the popularity of this game. It is interesting to note that most of the football fans are traditional fishermen who nurture a staunch passion for this charming sport. Nynanvalap Football Fans Association is a club of this genre, which is actively involved in the promotion of beach soccer matches since 1996 and has received various sports goods from the official sponsors of Europe Cup 2008.
Many clubs make sure to conduct annual coaching camps to spot fresh talents and to mould them into master strikers. Part of the expenses is met by organizing the much popular ‘Sevens’ football tournaments, which see many local teams of repute in action. Business organizations in the city and Non-resident Keralites hailing from this region also patronize these football clubs, ensuring their sustenance and success.
Kerala is a place where people breathe and live football and it is far from just being a ball game played by two teams in contrast colored jerseys!