The commercial logic hasn’t been lost either.
“Today, the broadcasting rights for English football is worth Rs 500 crore. Whereas Bundesliga does not have that. When the players become more popular, our people will start watching their matches. So, they will also benefit. It’s a win-win situation,” he said.
While the SLK-German partnership takes shape, other such collaborations are blooming in Kerala. The Muthoot Football Academy’s tie-up with Borussia Dortmund promises to raise grassroots standards further. Dortmund — one of Europe’s elite talent incubators — will support world-class training and player exchange.
Meeran sees the value in such partnerships.
“The plan is to nurture players through academies. Money is there. When Anwar Ali (India international defender) was transferred from Delhi FC to East Bengal, the club got a transfer fee of Rs 2.5 crore. Another aspect is that when clubs nurture footballers, their cost for players will come down. And they get a huge amount when they sell a player.”
Support is also growing at the community level. V-Guard-supported Parappur FC, formed under Parappur Sports and Education Trust, is scouting talent from ages 6 to 18, offering quality accommodation and allied facilities.
Long-term strategy
For SLK, the vision is long-term but strategic. The German Football Association has a great record for producing and managing some of the best young talents, said SLK CEO Mathew Joseph. “Unlike money-minded football businesses, their contribution to the sport is always of top quality, be it coaches, trainers or any kind of facilities. That’s the reason SLK chose to collaborate with German football,” he said. The academy SLK is planning to set up near Kottayam is in the phase of scouting
