Cyril Rodrigues

The Under-17 World Cup will be held in our country in October this year and a few games will be played at our own home ground in Goa. U-17 Football World Cup 2017 is one of the signature events of FIFA and India is indeed privileged to host this prestigious event of the world’s most loved and immensely popular game for the very first time on our shores.

It is, however, very disheartening and extremely embarrassing to see that not a single Goan boy figures among the list of probables called up to select the Indian National U-17 World Cup football team. Have we, the passionate and football crazy Goans, reached such dismal lows, inspite of having numerous football schools, training centers, academies and alike, immensely financed by the Government and many a private institutions. Goa is the only state in India having extensive grassroots programs for development of football in the state and offers numerous opportunities to one and all for all age groups under the aegis of Goa Football Association (GFA).

One may conclude that the current football training programs for the youth at all these training centers/schools/academies are a total failure and big fiascos as they are unable to produce even a single Goan player to represent India. 

Earlier, there were no such football training schools/academies, facilities, etc for the boys but Goa did produce some of the country’s renowned football players who grew up developing their skills barefoot in the local paddy fields and on the muddy village football grounds. For them the passion for the game was their sole motivation and not the name and fame that our youth of today are after.

Now, the time has come for the Government and the Private institutions, who are passionate about football and who invest their resources to finance these football development programs to take an extensive review and ascertain whether committed, highly qualified and result oriented experts, be they coaches, administrators, medical staff, dieticians, etc. are suitably selected and are sufficiently equipped with modern training devices, equipment and facilities required for the development of the youngsters under their charge. Immediate remedial measures need to be taken if Goa and the Goan football is not to be consigned to oblivion in the near future.