PANJIM: In the world of huge fees, heavy pays checks and lucrative transfer offers and wages/salaries, its very difficult to find loyalty in football. Players, managers, technical teams— all switch clubs for a fee best known to them.
So it has been with the Churchill Brothers SC team. The best performers of the team were quickly spotted and roped in by big spenders from the Indian Super League.
“Every year we try to maintain and stabilise our team but in the end most of our players are signed by ISL clubs. The players too want to play in that League,” said Churchill Brothers SC manager Denzie Ferrao.
Last season Churchill Brothers finished fourth in the I-League and this time around, the Varca-based team has signed some quality players to further strengthen their hold in the league.
Glan Martins, Quan Gomes, Ganesh Takur, Mouvin Borges (from Sporting Clube), Amaldas (Bengaluru FC reserves), Shubert Pereira (Vasco SC), S Patil (Delhi Dynamos), Ponif Vaz (Fateh Hyderabad) are few players the Red Machines have roped in for the upcoming season.
“We have a complete new team compared to last year. This year the coach is also new and it will take some time to adjust. After a couple of friendly matches we will come to know where we are lacking. Some quality foreign signings will make the team even stronger though we have Plaza upfront,” added Denzie, who revealed that they have released rest foreign players.
With the current quality, Churchill Brothers SC will have to bank on Glan Martins in the midfield, Amaldas in the heart of defence. New signing Lalawmpuia from Aizawl FC will add attacking teeth to their offence.
Churchill Brothers have also signed five U-20 players —Wenden Coelho, Derryl Peixoto, Aiden Martins, Clayton Luis and Landen Mendonca.
A month following their training began, Churchill Brothers SC will play their first pre-season match against Velsao SCC on Saturday.
Denzie’s affair with the club
While the players and tech teams constantly moving across, with Denzie Ferrao this isn’t the same. The Team Manager for Churchill Brothers is with the side ever since he joined the team as a player.
“For me this is like my team. I feel this is my own club,” said Churchill Brothers Team Manager Denzie Ferrao, who began his playing career with the club as a player in the Third Division League for The Red Machines.
“As a player I had few offers from clubs but I turned it down as I wanted to play only for Churchill Brothers. Now I am connected to the club and feel like it’s my own,” explained Denzie, who is nephew of the Club Patron Churchill Alemao.
