Dubai football community plans tributes for defender Rijohn Jose after fatal crash

UAE-based amateur football clubs and the Kerala Expats Football Association (KEFA) have announced plans to hold tributes for Rijohn Jose, a 29-year-old Indian expat and defender who died following a motorcycle collision in Kerala on 21 September. Jose, a resident of Dubai for the past three years, was a prominent figure in the local expat football circuit before returning to India to compete in the Super League Kerala (SLK). Fatal Collision in Kozhikode Jose died in the early hours of Monday, 21 September, after the motorcycle he was riding with fellow Calicut FC player Gani Ahmed Nigam collided with another vehicle in Kozhikode on the night of Sunday, 20 September. The accident occurred just days before the scheduled start of the SLK season. While public tributes have been led by Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan and fans at the Super League openers, his former colleagues in Dubai are now preparing their own memorials. During his tenure in the UAE, Jose played for Volga FC and Keynes FC, both under the KEFA umbrella. Beyond the pitch, he was employed by Keynes Group, a Dubai-based consultancy, where he was described by company owner Thanveer Jan as a "strength of the team." Jan confirmed that the club intends to support Jose’s family financially, specifically to assist them in building a permanent home in Thrissur, as they currently reside in rented accommodation. Tributes Planned for October Season The UAE expat football community was expecting Jose to return to Dubai…