Super League Kerala (SLK) defending champions Kannur Warriors head coach Andrey Chernyshov has revealed that the passionate fan culture in Kerala caught him completely off guard when he first arrived to manage Thrissur Magic in 2025. The 58-year-old Russian tactician, who previously guided Mohammedan SC to both the Calcutta Football League title and their maiden I-League championship, said the atmosphere at SLK matches surpasses what he has witnessed in many Indian top-flight venues.

A Surprise Welcome in Kerala

'I was really surprised when I came to the Super League Kerala; I did not expect interest from the fans in this tournament,' Chernyshov said on Thursday. He recalled being struck by packed stadiums from his very first match with Thrissur, and described the atmosphere in last season's final — a Kannur vs Thrissur showdown — as 'incredible'.

Drawing a pointed contrast with the broader Indian football ecosystem, Chernyshov noted: 'In I-League, it's not like that and also in many cities in ISL, people do not come to watch. They are not interested; you can see that stadiums are not packed. But I was surprised by the SLK. The atmosphere is very nice in Kannur; they support the team.' He added that vocal crowd backing translates directly into performance, saying players 'will play with double energy' when supporters fill the stands.

From Last to Runners-Up: Thrissur's Rise Under Chernyshov

Chernyshov's credentials in the SLK are well established. He joined Thrissur Magic for the 2025 season after the club had finished bottom of the table in 2024, and steered them all the way to the runners-up position. That turnaround earned him the top job at Kannur Warriors, who he will now lead as defending champions heading into the new season.

The Challenge of Defending the Title

Chernyshov is under no illusions about the difficulty of retaining the crown. '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,' he said.

He singled out the strengthened coaching roster across rival clubs as a key threat. The field now includes Vital Borkelmans, formerly in charge of the Jordan national team; Karim Bencherifa, a former Mohun Bagan head coach; and Ian Gillan, who lifted the trophy in SLK Season 1. 'I also see teams start to bring better players than last season, so SLK will be stronger this season, and we need to be ready for that,' Chernyshov added.

Season Opener: A Final Rematch on 25 September

Kannur Warriors will begin their title defence against Thrissur Magic — a direct rematch of last season's final — at the Jawahar Municipal Stadium, Kannur on 25 September. Chernyshov expressed hope that fan support would grow further, calling it 'very important for Kerala football and also for Indian football.'