'We want to win SLK again, but it won't be easy': Kannur Warriors manager Andrey Chernyshov
New Delhi, Sep 17
Newly appointed Kannur Warriors manager Andrey Chernyshov wants to guide the club to its second consecutive title in the Super League Kerala, but admits it won't be easy, as other teams have closed the gap.
Kannur qualified for the playoffs in the 2025 SLK after finishing fourth in the league stage last year, and they defeated 2024 champions Calicut Thrissur Magic in the final to lift their maiden crown.
They have brought in Russian coach Chernyshov from the side they defeated in the final to lift the SLK 2025, and the Russian tactician has set his goal of winning the title again, while also emphasising that the competition will be tighter this time around.
"When you come to a team that is the champion, it can be only one goal and one target: win this title again," Chernyshov told IANS in an exclusive interaction before the start of the six-team SLK on September 25.
Chernyshov was with Thrissur Magic last season and helped them play the final after they ended last in the first SLK season in 2024, the season when Calicut FC won the title. He stated that teams were gunning to beat Calicut last year, and similarly, they would be eager to defeat the now-defending champions, Kannur, with some other top coaches present with them as well.
"We want to win this title, but we need to understand this season will be more difficult for us because last season Calicut was the defending champion and then all five other teams wanted to beat Calicut. They brought in double power, double energy and now we are in this situation; we are the defending champions, now we need to understand another five teams will fight against us," he said.
The 58-year-old further emphasised the presence of managers such as former Jordan coach Vital Borkelmans, former Mohun Bagan coach Karim Bencherifa, and SLK season 1 winner Ian Gillan, all of whom will be gunning to make things difficult for Chernyshov and his men.
"Also, if you see now, teams will be better than last season. All teams have brought experienced coaches; they worked at a high level, one coach from the Jordan national team, another coach who worked in Mohun Bagan, a third coach who won the first season here at SLK and other coaches who might not have been very experienced last season but now have grown in experience. I also see teams start to bring better players as last season, so SLK will be stronger this season, and we need to be ready for that," he said.
Chernyshov himself is no newcomer to coaching and has an extensive 24-year career working with different teams around the world. He has tasted success with Kolkata's Mohammedan SC, helping them win their first Calcutta Football League title in 40 years and guiding them to the 2021 Durand Cup and 2021-22 I-League finals, before leading them to their maiden I-League title in 2023-24.
He analysed his own squad, stating that the club has kept the core and has brought some good players for the upcoming season. "They tried to keep many players from last season; it was important because they were the champions. Then we looked at new players, and I'm satisfied with how we worked to find good players, and now we have 25 players in the squad, and I'm really very happy about them," he highlighted.
Kannur Warriors will begin their title defence against Thrissur in a rematch of last season's finalists at the Jawahar Municipal Stadium, Kannur, on September 25.
— IANS
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