Gokulam Kerala set to begin pre-season training from 6th November

Head coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese will arrive on November 7th.

Gokulam Kerala FC are all set to start their pre-season training camp at EMS Corporation Stadium here from November 6th.

GKFC had earlier planned to start the training by October third week. But the club postponed the decision and started online training in the wake of curfew (Section 144) imposed in Kozhikode up to October 31.

Now the club has received the go-ahead from the district administration to start the training by following strict Covid19 protocol.  All the outstation players have completed their 14-day quarantine period at the club facility.

The club has already received Covid19 standard operation procedure for training from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and will be adhering to it.  

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“We are glad that the Indian government and the AIFF have relaxed the Covid19 regulations to allow the players to return to professional football. We at Gokulam have ensured that these players were all tested negative for Covid19 to safeguard them and to build psychological confidence within the team,” said Dr. B. Ashok Kumar, the CEO of Gokulam Kerala FC.  

“The protocol /guidelines issued by the AIFF for resuming team training will be strictly followed.  As we enter into a neo-normal era it will be challenging for both the players and the coaching staff. But with all the precautionary measures in place, we are confident of conducting the training sessions without any hassles,” said the CEO.

Meanwhile, Gokulam Kerala FC’s Italian head coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese will reach Kozhikode on November 7th. The coach is traveling from Armenia, where he is residing now, and will enter quarantine once he reaches the club facility at Kozhikode.

“The training is going to start on November6 th and I need to complete my quarantine to conduct sessions. But I will make sure that I will work with Garcia (fitness coach) for each session. These players have been without any activity for the past seven to eight months. So our aim is to help them gain their fitness and slowly start the training,” said Annese.