Are foreign coaches helping Indian soccer?
This was the magnificent game so far played in this edition of ISL where Goa were toyed by the Kerala Blasters in the last 5 minutes of the first half. Though Goa had an upper hand throughout the entire first half especially just before Kerala could open their score, not once but at least thrice Goa had chances to score but due to its finishers’ inability to think fast to go for the kill, the finishers of Goa frittered away the given chances to score at least 2 sure goals from the left flank.
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The standard of coaching is not admirable since none of the teams having foreign coaches indicate anything extraordinary in their play.
In his master piece that he himself penned down and released in the book form under the title “Play football with Pele” where Pele gives 11 lessons to eleven players to attain success for the entire team. It is mentioned there that Pele gives the mental process and speedily thinking process too, that should be applied right in time to get the success. Following this clue, Diogo Armando Maradona without wasting a second at an appropriate time scored that beautiful second goal in the solo attempt started from the centre against England in the World Cup in 1986.
I don’t think there is going to be any improvement in the Indian players who by learning something new from the foreign players will indicate the advancement. However, regretfully nothing of that sort is happening. On the contrary even the level of Indian soccer is indicating downward trend thereby keeping the door of ISL wide open for the sponsors and advertisers whose interest alone it looks that ISL is fulfilling.
A Veronica Fernandes, Candolim
Self-accidents are avoidable
A tragic accident snuffed out the life of a 20-year-old bike racer, who sustained grievous injuries during a race which was held in Mapusa on Sunday. He died while undergoing treatment at the Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim.
On Monday two youths, both 25 years old, lost their lives in self accidents. One of the youth from Sanguem died after sustaining severe injuries when he banged his bike into a tree at Mapa, Panchwadi. In yet another accident reported on Monday a 25-year-old youth, a native of Madhya Pradesh and currently residing at Colva, died in a self-accident at Verna. It is learnt that the two-wheeler he was riding skidded as a result of which he was thrown on the road and received severe injuries.
It is indeed sad that precious young lives are being lost due to road accidents. The main reasons for self accidents are distracted driving, drunk driving, reckless driving, speeding, not wearing a helmet, using the mobile while riding among others.
Other factors that contribute to a self accident are slippery road conditions due to rains, potholed roads, improper lighting on the roads, etc. Self accidents are to a large extent avoidable. Defensive driving/riding is the way to prevent road accidents.
The golden rule is ‘leave early, drive slowly, reach safely’. The youth should realise that roads are not race tracks and should stick to the prescribed seed-limit while also following the traffic rules.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Prayers for Ven Fr Agnelo
In view of the commemoration of the 95th death anniversary of Venerable Fr Agnelo de Souza, November 19 this year is marked for special prayers for his canonisation to sainthood during the novena. The process is on but needs to be completed to declare the Goan priest a saint.
Born in the picturesque village of Anjuna, Agnelo was brought up by his devout Catholic parents in the ways of faith and good morals. Sadly, he lost his parents at a very young age. His desire was to become a missionary priest. After his studies for priesthood, Agnelo de Souza was ordained a priest on September 24,1898 and ten years later made his Final Commitment in the Society of Pilar. From then on he never looked back but continued his mission in teaching Catechism, listening to confessions and reaching out to help the needy.
Fr Agnelo was a good preacher. Wherever he went to preach, it is said, he attracted large crowd of devotees who listened to him attentively. He lived a missionary life caring for the needy and helping those who were helpless. But he was of weak health and often found it difficult to attend to his mission work when his superiors directed him. Yet he never complained but obediently followed his superiors’ order.
Fr Agnelo died on November 20, 1927. He was declared Venerable but awaits his sainthood. This year being his 95th death anniversary, the Society of Pilar has drawn the attention of his devotees to raise special prayers for the beatification of our Goan priest brother Venerable Fr Agnelo de Souza and grant us the privilege to see him on the altar among other saints.
Ayres Sequeira,
Salvador do Mundo
Disqualification notices a wasted exercise?
This has reference to the report ‘Speaker to issue notices in disqualification case’ (Herald, November 15, 2022). Yet another fiasco, notices in disqualification case against eight former Congress legislators? The whole thing seems to be a wasted exercise, an exercise in futility.
We have seen what has happened in the earlier cases of defection of MLAs. With the anti-defection law as it is, there is no way to prevent defections and betraying the people’s trust.
Needless to say, the anti-defection law should be such that if any MLA wishes to defect, he must necessarily first resign his seat and seek fresh elections from the party of his choice.
This is the only way to stop this madness, the mad dance of democracy. Stop turning our democracy into a big farce. Let people’s will prevail. Is anybody listening?
Melville X D’Souza,
Mumbai
Are disqualification petitions working?
The media has reported that the Congress leaders and a RTI activist have filed disqualification petitions before the Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker, against eight Congress MLAs who left the party and defected to the ruling BJP after having passed a resolution, to merge the legislative wing with the BJP. The merger was readily accepted by the Speaker.
Obviously these disqualification petitions, as everyone knows, is only of academic importance. They may be just to appease and pacify the supporters of Congress and also the posterity that something was done by some Congress leaders and concerned activists hoping to undo what’s already a fait accompli.
Everyone knows that the Speaker is from the ruling party and naturally he is not expected to work against the interest of his party in the disqualification case. This is an added advantage to the defectors.
Anyway he has announced to the media that he will issue notices to the concerned parties and hold the first hearing regarding the petitions in about 15 days. Let’s wait and see what’s the outcome.
In fact Congress instead of filing such petitions, they should seriously introspect, why such deceitful acts take place in their party, where elected MLAs defect without any hesitation or remorse. Obviously the main reason being that nowadays there are very few committed Congress MLAs, that wouldn’t resist any profitable offers beneficial to them, if received from the ruling party.
This is one of the main reasons why many thinking Congress supporters didn’t vote for Congress in the last election. Instead they opted to vote for other parties.
Congress needs to re-establish its credibility and regain the confidence of its supporters, before it can win an election.
Antonio Diniz, Fatorda
