Coach Kochi FC Mario Lemos Views Super League Kerala as the Stairway to India’s Elite Clubs.
Head coach of the Kochi-based side Forca Kochi FC, Mario Lemos, gets into his first outing in Indian football, where he expects the best from Super League Kerala.
Though a new face in this regional league, 38-year-old Portuguese coach Mario is not a novice in the world of soccer prediction.
His earlier successes, especially in leading Bangladesh’s Abahani Limited to results of reputation at the AFC Cup, point toward his prospects of bringing Forca Kochi FC and, by extension, the SLK to great heights.
Background and Achievements
It came his way finally in the year 2019 when Lemos led Abahani Limited to the inter-zone semi-finals of the AFC Cup.
Stunning victories over established Indian clubs like Chennaiyin FC, who was champion of the ISL, and Minerva Punjab, a former I-League winner, made this team’s performance special.
These achievements not only highlighted his coaching abilities but also set the stage for his current ambitions in Kerala.
With Lemos now at the helm of affairs, Forca Kochi FC is in no mood to make an SLK merely another premier league.
It has to mean much more than that—a vehicle whose success can elevate players and teams to the limelight at the national level.
He saw the new professional league as a vital stepping-stone for clubs and players aspiring to reach the more esteemed realms of the I-League and the ISL.
He had succeeded before, and by the time he shared his insights on the football situation in South Asia with me, his confidence in this vision was certain.
Vision of Super League Kerala
The way Lemos looks at SLK, it is a novel chance for him to present his coaching abilities and contribute towards making the footballing environment in Kerala competitive.
“I have done an excellent job in Bangladesh. Now, I feel it is a stepping stone towards exhibiting my work; I will do it,” Lemos shared with Sportstar as the tournament took shape.
Not to lead Forca Kochi FC to the perfect step but for the benefit and growth of the league, too.
He sees SLK as that platform whereby this can be the ladder to major football personnel and Indian football teams. By developing talent and breed of competition, Lemos hopes to create a pathway for the best of players and teams in Kerala to fight it out in the I-League and ISL eventually.
Challenges and Preparations
Image Credit: Goal.com
With less than two weeks remaining for the SLK’s kick-off at Kochi’s Nehru Stadium on September 7, the season’s inaugural tournament, the squad arrives piecemeal at the insistence of key players.
“I would say we have 70 percent of the team. The (Kerala) Police players are yet to come; they are the more experienced players. All the young ones have come,” Lemos explained.
There are difficulties, but Lemos is not giving up yet. Along with assistant coach Ancheri, he had been trying to build a unit that would work in cohesion.
Lemos clearly understands that every new league goes through teething problems, but then he strongly believes in his ability to adapt and find solutions.
“I have to find solutions; I have to adapt. I think everybody is going to have some problems. “It is a new league, so that is normal.
Trust me, I have been in worse situations… sometimes, I have had less time. Two weeks gives me some time to work.
I think that I have a good idea of what I want to do. In two weeks, I can really push them up for the first match (against Malappuram FC).”
Looking Ahead
As Lemos’ journey in Indian football has just started, his ideas and aspirations are pretty clear. He does not want to achieve immediate success with Forca Kochi FC alone; he wants to ensure he can contribute to the long-term growth of the SLK.
His international experience in football and strategic methodology makes him a front-runner in the process of league development.
The first-ever SLK season just around the corner, all eyes are set on Lemos and his team.
If Forca Kochi FC could be successful under the stewardship of his team, this would have set the template for the future of the league and—what may be more significant in the short term—could help build it into a lynchpin in the ecosystem of Indian football.
Therefore, for Lemos, SLK is more than just another job; it will be the chance to build something long-lasting and significant in Indian football.
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