Muthoot FA hope to make it count in Gen Next Cup

Kochi: Arjun Raj, the captain of Muthoot FA, expressed hope in his team’s ability to make an impact in the Premier League Next Generation Cup. The team clinched their berth in the prestigious tournament after finishing third in the Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL).

Muthoot FA will only be the second team from Kerala to participate in the Next Generation Cup after Kerala Blasters Academy.

They will compete alongside RFDL winners Punjab FC, runners-up East Bengal FC, South African team Stellenbosch FC, and Premier League clubs Aston Villa FC, Crystal Palace FC, Everton FC, and Tottenham Hotspur FC.

“Our opponents are physically stronger. Hence, post RFDL, we gave importance to strength and conditioning training to increase the players’ endurance. We have a bunch of talented players and with increased physical strength, we will make an impact in the tournament,” said Arjun, during the farewell ceremony of the team held in Kochi on Friday.

However, the absence of key players may pose problems for Muthoot FA. Eight players, including midfielder Salahudheen Adnan and striker Adil Abdullah, who played key roles for Muthoot in the RFDL, left the squad to join clubs like Mohun Bagan Super Giant in June.

But Muthoot FA coach Anees Koraliyadan has confidence in his team’s depth. “We have a policy of rotating the players. So even if some players leave the group, we still have two or three players ready to fill that gap."

We also published the following articles recently

Muthoot FA's young talents set to shine on international stage in Next Generation Cup, to face teams from Premier League Muthoot FA secured third place in the Reliance Foundation Development League 2024, earning a spot in the Next Generation Cup. Coach Anees Koraliyadan highlighted the international exposure's importance for player development, despite challenges from losing seven players to ISL clubs. The tournament will feature top clubs including Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.

Paris Olympics 2024: Indian men's hockey team, schedule, and key players Hockey India announced its 16-player team for the Paris 2024 Olympics, captained by Harmanpreet Singh and vice-captained by Hardik Singh. They will compete in Pool B, facing tough opponents like Belgium and Australia.