Coach Annese bids adieu to Gokulam

Italian led Kerala club to back-to-back I-League titles

Two years, two I-League titles, Vincenzo Alberto Annese feels it is time to move on.

The hugely successful coach is bidding adieu to Gokulam Kerala, the team he turned into the I-League football champion in two successive years. He is likely to remain in India, though. He has already been approached by ISL clubs, it is learnt.

“I will be able to make an announcement within two or three weeks and yes, I might be joining an ISL team,” Annese told The Hindu.

“I decided to leave Gokulam because I wanted a new challenge.”

The 37-year-old Italian is proud of his achievements at Gokulam. “Both the I-League titles mean a lot to me, but this year’s is really special, because defending the title is a lot different from winning it for the first time,” he said.

“Besides, it was a virtually different team that we fielded this season as most of the players had been released.”

Annese said he had a good time at Gokulam. “The management gave me complete support,” he said. “I had the total freedom to select the players I wanted.”