Team Herald
PORVORIM: Sports Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar on Wednesday on the floor of the House expressed grief over the falling standards of football in Goa, despite it being considered and promoted as the official sport of Goa. The Minister urged Goa Football Development Council (GFDC) and Goa Football Association (GFA) to work hand-in-hand to produce world class football players.
During the Question hour, Ajgaonkar rued that the standard of football has not been up to the mark with sports club failing to produce good players, who can represent the State at national level. He said that despite the govt providing all the required support in form of infrastructure and financial assistance, Goa is slowly falling behind when it comes to football, even though this was the sport the coastal State was initially known for.
Ajgaonkar said Goa has been losing to States like Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya and Haryana, which were never into football in the past. “In the past, we had players like Brahmanand Shakhwalkar (Indian team goalkeeper) and Bruno Coutinho (Indian Team Captain), who rose to the international level after playing in the paddy fields without even proper grounds. However, today we have enough infrastructure but we don’t see any players,” he said.
“Two-three players who were shinning or are shinning are only because of Churchill Brothers. But where are the other players,” he said responding to questions posed by BJP St Andre MLA Francis Silveira and Aldona MLA Glen Ticlo.
Ticlo said that due to lack of quality coaches, State is not able to produce good footballers.
NCP MLA who is also the president of the Goa Football Association (GFA) president Churchill Alemao, replying to the comments made, blamed the Indian Super league (ISL) for spoiling the quality of football. “Many Goans who play for ISL are Churchill Brothers players. Because of ISL everything has failed. I-league was started by late Union Sports Minister Priyaranjan Das Munshi. Because of I-league, Goan clubs could make a name for themselves,” added the Benaulim MLA.
