In all three tournaments the results were same, India came last, in fact India did not win even a single match.
They played well compared to our standard, no doubt about that, but they were also given world class training coupled with lots of exposure trips abroad. The Indian team’s German coach, Nicolai Adams says he is happy about the performance. According to him there are only two results, that is, either India wins or learns. If losing was not a problem and instead learning was the option, then why weren’t any Goans included in the team? Mind you, from this team will be selected the final team to play at the U-17 World Cup, next year.
The core of this Indian team was selected couple of years ago, at the Sub-Junior National Championship, which was also incidentally held in Goa, at Benaulim. The ultimate winner at this tournament was Goa, still it is a surprise that not a single Goan was found worthy of the National team by the selectors. The remaining players were selected from National School games, where again Goa was the champion. Even then not a single player from Goa was selected for the National team.
The All India Football Federation has their major youth academies based in Goa, be the U-16, U-17, U-19 and U-21. However no Goan player is a member of any of these youth teams. AIFF is using all Goan facilities, many good grounds are booked such that the local clubs/youth, including GFDC centres are not allowed to use them for our children. The only area Goans are benefitting from this, is to supply logistic support to these AIFF academies, are we happy with that? A few will make some money, but will Goan football gain?
The problem here is not the lack of quality footballers in Goa, but rather lack of godfathers to lobby for our Goan youth in the Indian team. What is the future of Goan football? With so many football academies coming up in Goa, including those of Goa Football Development Council, is there a future for our Goan youth to play football at the highest level? Or will our youth have to be satisfied cheering the players from N-E from the stands, along with the football officials of Goa?
The high and mighty of football in Goa should answer this.
