Kernow FA take on the Chagos FA Sunday

[Dave Deacon]

From Tom Howe, Head of Media, Kernow Football Alliance

 

The Kernow Football Alliance and Chagos Football Association are to join forces this Sunday in a celebration of culture and diversity during a special day of events at Bodmin’s Priory Park.

The day will feature a 2020 CONIFA World Football Cup (WFC 2020) qualifier at 4.00 pm, before which the two organisations will combine for a presentation and talk regarding the plight of the Chagos people.

Back in the 1960s, the British government removed the Chagossians from their native islands in the Indian Ocean to make way for a United States military base on Diego Garcia. Chagossians continue to campaign to be returned to their homeland and for their human rights to this day.

“The Chagos Football Association began six years ago as an effort to bring together the Chagossian community in exile and as a way for us to raise awareness of our struggle,” said Chagos’ Marie Sabrina Jean, whose father was taken from his home and sent to Mauritius.

“We Chagossians play as a people in exile, removed from our homeland by the British government. Now, many Chagossians live in the UK and, in 2013, came together to establish our own football team.

“We use football as a way to talk about these issues with our fans and everyone who loves football. The team brings young Chagossians together to train and play together and, because of CONIFA, we have been able to travel and compete against other teams who have similar political struggles.

“CONIFA has helped to raise awareness about our experience and our struggle. Today young Chagossian players are threatened with deportation by the UK Home Office because of the cruel restrictions the British Government have put on us concerning our citizenship rights, even though we are British citizens who were taken away from our homeland - which is a British territory.

“Football has brought us together and we want to talk about our struggle and to challenge the policy of the British Government to keep us from our homeland. Please support our team and our campaign for a return.”

Kernow FA chairman Jason Heaton said: “This is a massive fixture for Kernow FA, not just about how far we’ve come and what we represent, but to get the points to qualify for WFC 2020, it’s critical as the deadline is September 31.

“It’s a stern test of our resolve and how we can build on our relations with players, clubs, league representatives and the Cornwall County Football Association, all of which seem to be on track and certainly heading in the right direction.

“In respect of the Chagossians and their national football team, Chagos Islands FA and their fight to be able to return to their homeland, we at Kernow FA offer our support as an extension of our international football family.”

Kernow FA Director of Football, Andrew Bragg, added: “We are very grateful to Chagos Islands for accepting this fixture. We understand the fight they are going through to return to their homeland and hope in some small way to bring attention to their plight.

“On the footballing side we’re expecting a very high pace, hard-fought match and I would like to thank so many people who have worked so hard to make this fixture possible.

“The whole Kernow FA committee have been amazing and Bodmin Town as usual have proved very worthy hosts. Press Gang will I know do us proud by blasting out ‘Cornwall My Home’ before the kick off.

“Also, I’d like to give a special mention to all the clubs and managers who’ve made their players available in this very busy period and to the players who have given up their precious time to represent Cornwall on such a prestigious occasion.

“Finally, thank you to the three match officials without whom this fixture couldn’t have taken place. The squad is coming together quite nicely now and manager Darren Gilbert has pulled together a very well balanced group of lads whom, if we qualify for the 2020 World Cup, I’m sure will do Cornwall proud.

“Here’s hoping the supporters can create a magical atmosphere and sing us on to victory.”

The gates of Priory Park will be open from 1.30 pm with all invited to visit early to hear more about the Chagos Islands, with a talk/Q&A in the ground’s clubhouse prior to kick-off followed by a press conference where members of the local, national and international media will be present.

Ticket prices for the WFC 2020 qualifier to follow are: £6 for adults (plus free match programme) and £2 concessions.

For more information on Kernow FA, or to volunteer your services and support, please email info@kernowfa.org or search @KernowFA on social media. To read more on CONIFA, visit www.conifa.org, or for the Chagos Football Association search @chagosfa on Facebook.

[Bobjfh]

It’s nice to see Kernow FA have broadened they eligibility criteria to ‘played in Cornwall from the age of 16’ or words to that effect (Thanks for the podcast Dave, great) rather than born in Cornwall - but a shame it’s the same ‘old’ names in Sunday’s squad - hopefully their scouting will improve. 

Good luck for the match and getting a squad of 28 Cornish men to travel to Somaliland for two weeks in June with no alcohol and 35C temperatures - flying via Ethiopia for 36 hours lol

[TheolderIgetthebetterIwas]

17 hours ago, Bobjfh said:

 

Good luck for the match and getting a squad of 28 Cornish men to travel to Somaliland for two weeks in June with no alcohol and 35C temperatures - flying via Ethiopia for 36 hours lol

Ridiculous,  I don't think that will even happen. 

[Dave Deacon]

Result yesterday was Kernow FA 10, Chagos Islands 3

Also news out over the last week or so that the next CONIFA will not be staged in Somaliland and they are looking for new replacement hosts. Could the Kernow FA step in? They suggested at their Pre-match Press Conference that the thought of making a bid for a future tournament is a consideration, so could going to take on next year’s competition be an ideal move for evereyone!   

The last tournament just over 12 months ago was something like a 10 day event, involving 16 teams and took place at 10 different venues (in 3 host cities).

[cornish leg end]

2 hours ago, Dave Deacon said:

Result yesterday was Kernow FA 10, Chagos Islands 3

Also news out over the last week or so that the next CONIFA will not be staged in Somaliland and they are looking for new replacement hosts. Could the Kernow FA step in? They suggested at their Pre-match Press Conference that the thought of making a bid for a future tournament is a consideration, so could going to take on next year’s competition be an ideal move for evereyone!   

The last tournament just over 12 months ago was something like a 10 day event, involving 16 teams and took place at 10 different venues (in 3 host cities).

That would be fanstatic for cornwall we have some.perfect grounds to hold games. Possibly play the final at argyle. It's something kernow fa should look at for sure  

[Bobjfh]

Now that would be something Cornish football could get behind - Except hosting a final in Devon?!?!? 

[burt]

What was the starting 11 & subs made please?

[Dave Deacon]

6 hours ago, cornish leg end said:

That would be fanstatic for cornwall we have some.perfect grounds to hold games. Possibly play the final at argyle. It's something kernow fa should look at for sure  

Any final should definitely be staged in Kernow!

[cornish leg end]

16 hours ago, Dave Deacon said:

Any final should definitely be staged in Kernow!

Would have been nice for the cornwall stadium to be ready for it. What grounds do you recon will be put forward to hold matches? 

[The Town Man]

2 hours ago, cornish leg end said:

Would have been nice for the cornwall stadium to be ready for it. What grounds do you recon will be put forward to hold matches? 

Obviously the "Cornish Wembley" would have to be the venue.  Especially as it is now actively being invested in by the fund-raising efforts of the management and supporters. Including the mighty FBB/F-troop.

Come and see the switching on of the new LED floodlights on 4th September against Mr Massey's 20/20 vision team (Helston) in the company of the famous Falmouth Marine Band!

Remember "ALL ROADS LEAD TO BICKLAND PARK!!"

[TheolderIgetthebetterIwas]

1 hour ago, The Town Man said:

 

Remember "ALL ROADS LEAD TO BICKLAND PARK!!"

Only sometimes. 

[Ian Pethick]

On ‎26‎/‎08‎/‎2019 at 10:28, cornish leg end said:

That would be fanstatic for cornwall we have some.perfect grounds to hold games. Possibly play the final at argyle. It's something kernow fa should look at for sure  

Feel like I'm banging the same drum here, but would be a fantastic event for Cornwall.

Double header matches could be played over 2-3 weeks in early June at Falmouth, Newquay, St Austell, Bodmin and Saltash for example. Bit of vision and promotion required, could be something special.

[cornish leg end]

1 hour ago, Way Of The Park said:

Feel like I'm banging the same drum here, but would be a fantastic event for Cornwall.

Double header matches could be played over 2-3 weeks in early June at Falmouth, Newquay, St Austell, Bodmin and Saltash for example. Bit of vision and promotion required, could be something special.

Totally agree great venues. Decent gates for double headers and the clubs would make abit of money too. 

[Bruegel the Elder]

On 23/08/2019 at 15:10, Bobjfh said:

Good luck for the match and getting a squad of 28 Cornish men to travel to Somaliland for two weeks in June with no alcohol and 35C temperatures - flying via Ethiopia for 36 hours lol

At least the Kernow weather won’t quite hit 35C but being in June we can probably offer torrential rain and the odd thunderstorm⛈! And at least it won’t be dry off the pitch🍺❗️

[Paloresow]

On 23/08/2019 at 15:10, Bobjfh said:

Good luck for the match and getting a squad of 28 Cornish men to travel to Somaliland for two weeks in June with no alcohol and 35C temperatures - flying via Ethiopia for 36 hours lol

The date was never fixed for June [as a matter of fact, it was never announced at all], which actually forms the back end of the first rainy season [Gu, in Somali] in Hargeisa. The second, or minor, rainy season falls at the end of the Hagaa season [July-Sept] and is rather more variable. On the other hand, the region has suffered widespread drought which has disrupted the traditional treatment of those nomenclatures.

Your thinking is based on a British [Atlantic & Continental Europe] system of having four distinctly different seasons, each following from the other, whilst neglecting the fact that the Horn of Africa experiences an Equatorial Climate. Additionally one wishes to note that Somaliland might well be thought of as being hot, which ain't necessarily so when it's cloudy as per the Gu & Hagaa seasons, but it certainly is damn windy at all times - the country essentially sits on a broad plain at about the same altitude as Ben Nevis. Wind Chill Factor is not taken into account, if you've been looking at the Wikipedia page as your source of info.

Hargeisa is just under 4,000 nautical miles from Newquay airport. A commercial jetliner travels at around 400 knots per hour, so a direct flight would be 10 hours or so on the assumption that the craft has the fuel capacity, which an executive jet-charter would - because it has the majority of passenger seats stripped out and carries less weight with a reduced cargo in the hold, in comparison to a holidaymaker flight.

Also, alcohol most certainly IS to be found in both Hargeisa & Berbera in spite of its ostensible illegality under the version of Sunni Islam which is practiced there. More to the point is the fact that the tournament sponsor [Sportsbet.IO] is most definitely banned by Sunnis and gambling is most definitely illegal. Begs the question, did anyone actually consider how the tournament sponsor was to obtain their value for money given that the total lack of advertising opportunity for them would certainly be a breach of contract on the part of the organisers.

Hint, that last sentence is the real reason for the cancellation...not "logistics" and so on, as claimed - those were always the same known issues. As a matter of fact, the Somalilanders spent a lot of money that they could not afford in making those stadia fit for purpose. Well, nearly fit for purpose.

See the "host venues" section of this page :

https://www.kernowfa.org/kernow/w2020m/