Herald: You had led boys as well as men’s teams earlier. This was the first time you were assigned with women’s team. How was the experience leading the women’s team?
Joao Rebello: It was a wonderful experience leading the winners of the Vedanta Women’s Football League – Bidesh XI. It was enriching and I enjoyed leading the team of such high caliber. The energy and the team spirit was high throughout the league. We look at this as an exposure opportunity for the girls to represent the state at the national level. It was a trip full of learning for me as well. Even though we had a very short time for preparations but we tried our level best.
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H: What is the standard out there (IWL)?
JR: I must say the standard has improved over the years. Indian Women’s League has become a fruitful platform for the women footballers in the country to showcase their talent. The players have matured which is getting reflected in the intensity of the game and is very constructive in the development of women footballers. I am sure that with FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup being organized in India this year, it will be a great boost for the women’s footballing ecosystem.
H: Bidesh XI failed to collect a single point in the league? What really went wrong with the team? Was the competition so difficult?
JR: I would say that the team got the opportunity to play with more competitive teams which will help them in raising their skills in whatever limited time for preparations we got. This will help the team to prepare for the next time with more time at our disposal. Also, we can improve if we give more playing time to this bunch of girls and the right guidance to deliver better results next time. Our prime focus was more on giving the opportunity to the women footballing talents from Goa as we were the only team playing with girls selected only from the state.
H: You have coached the boys’ team as well as men’s football teams. But How easy or difficult it is to manage a women’s team?
JR: I think it requires a different approach when it comes to women’s football team. It entails a different strategy because there are not many opportunities for women at the grassroots level and hence participation levels and awareness are very low. Due to the lack of formal training programs for women young age is one of the major constraints. Hence, intervention at an early age will help in nurturing the right mindset that will eventually lead to producing professional women footballers for the country.
H: Has the Vedanta women’s league helped the State? Or is there more need for more improvement?
JR: I feel Vedanta Women’s Football League is a great platform for women to compete and showcase their skills. It is the first of its kind league in Goa that gives an opportunity for women footballers to compete and groom themselves. As we move forward, scaling up with more number of teams can help in creating more opportunities for players and creating a more healthy competitive environment.
Jeromina Colaco and Beverley are young talented players who represented Bidesh XI in the VWFL and IWL. I am sure they will represent the Indian National Football Team in the future. I am confident that with the right guidance and exposure they will bring laurels for the state and ultimately for the country. I feel that expanding the reach of such leagues across the country will help to take the level of Indian Women’s Football to the next level.
H: Where are we going wrong? And what are your suggestions for the same?
JR: It was a good initiative by GFA to identify the gap and introducing the much-needed VWFL platform for Goan women footballers. We again, as I said moving forward, scaling up will improve the standard of the competition and expanding our reach to explore more footballing talents from grassroots. The introduction of full-time residential academies for women, raising awareness, the motivation level and encouraging young women’s talent to step out and become professional footballers will help the cause.
H: Are we (Goa) heading in the right direction when it comes to women’s football?
JR: I had an opportunity to witness a few matches during the Vedanta Women’s Football League and lead the team during the Indian Women’s League. I feel the investment at the grassroots level and targeting the younger age groups will help in identifying talent and grooming over the years. I think competitions for juniors should be held in the age groups – U-14, U-16 and U-18 as well.
