The GFDC Football Summit organised by Goa Football Development Council in collaboration with the Goa Football Association, commenced in Margao on Wednesday.
Sports Minister Govind Gaude inaugurated the two-day Summit aimed at understanding the remedial measures needed to address the decline of Goan football.
Organising Committee chairman & MLA Digambar Kamat, Executive Director of Sports Authority of Goa, Dr. Geeta Nagvenkar, Dempo Group Chairman Shrinivas Dempo, Arjuna Awardee and Padma Shri Brahmanand Shankhwalkar graced the occasion among others.
The discussions through the opening day revolved around the paling of quality of Goan players, lack of spectators coming to the stadia, youngsters dropping out after youth level leagues and migration of quality players from villages, influx of players from Northeast India, money-minded attitude of players over playing opportunities, and menace of mobile phones.
Dempo Sports Club president Shrinivas Dempo emphasied that players from Manipur work harder compared to Goan players and at lower salaries than those demanded by the local footballers. “However much as a club owner, we feel like promoting Goan talents; clubs also have to balance out the costs,” he explained.
The said trend is now seen all over the state as players from Manipur and Mizoram are plying their trade in Goa with increasing regularity. With more work-rate and robust qualities, these footballers are outlasting the Goan players, who despite believing in the sentiment of ‘Football running in their blood’ and once having the physique and the touch – are now looking a pale shadow of their once breathtaking past.
Dempo also highlighted that the football fans have diluted in passion compared to those in the past when they used to be intensely connected and loyal to their respective clubs; while also admitting that not much has been done to address the challenge of fan-engagement.
Owner of Geno Football Club, a new-entrant in the state football circuit, Dr Sagar Salgaocar believes that the Live streaming should be discontinued so that the fans do not have any other choice than to watch the match at the stadium. He also mentioned that a revenue-sharing mechanism can be the basis of a business model for owners to keep investing in football.
FC Goa CEO Ravi Puskur lamented the lack of desire and aspirations of the players from Goa. He cited an example of a player who came through age-group level and when promoted into the first team, how that player thought he had achieved the target with his focus then shifting to night-life.
Village football has been the essence of Goan football DNA and Salcete has played a huge role in supplying the best of the talents to the top clubs. However, the picture is totally different now. There are hardly a chunk of players worth their salt coming from this region while migrant players are making their presence felt, observed GFA treasurer Schubert Furtado, who explained that once the age-group league stage is completed, the players somehow show no inclination to make the professional switch and take up the option to move abroad. He also blamed the mobile phone menace for killing potential football careers.
The legendary former India captain and goalie Brahmanand Shankhwalkar opening his heart out, displayed tremendous passion that created the inspiring personality that he is; and the hurt was palpable in his voice at seeing the terrible decline of football with evil like match-fixing also being a huge issue in the recent past in Goa.
Brahmanand hoped that the key players will be counselled heavily into understanding spirituality in the real sense of being a person with clear conscience! As such, he advised them to have a target and work towards it like he did, without looking for monetary gain.
Grassroots football is a critical aspect for growth of the sport and competitive exposure, develops the players from a young age. Arjuna Awardee and former India forward of top quality, Bruno Coutinho hammered on the necessity to allow GFDC Grassroot Centre teams to play in the GFA age-group leagues.
Dempo SC Technical Director Pradyum Reddy pointed out at the lack of playing time for Goan players across the clubs. Moreover, the number of players from the State, have dried up in the national scheme of things.
Experts and promoters from inter-village circuit revealed that the village connection with the respective teams is not the same anymore. Neither there is a coach from a village, nor do the villagers travel like in the past. Players also choose to sit on the bench after moving to top teams for better salary rather than playing day in and day out for Pro League teams, pointed out GFA member Sanjeev Nagvenkar.
Now then, with a flurry of sad observations and nothing positive to talk about the state of football, which has ironically been under the spotlight for its decline since being declared the State sport of Goa in 2012; the worried Goans will be waiting to see what recommendations the stakeholders for this Football Summit come up with in order to remedy the rot!
