Team Herald
PANJIM: When the Red Machines take on the Snow Leopards at the TRC Turf Ground in Srinagar on Sunday – and as all of Goa holds its collective breath, praying for a win that will bring home the coveted I-League title – the one man whom everyone will be watching is football lover and veteran politician Churchill Alemao.
For the patron of Churchill Brothers, the match will present a few notes of déjà vu, since his club has won the I-League on two occasions, in 2008-09 and 2012-13. “I am not a corporate person, but football is in my blood and I have put my life into football and my club,” Churchill told us in an exclusive chat.
His passion for the sport has been carried on in the family, with his daughter Valanka being the club’s chief executive officer (CEO) and son Savio is the
Vice President.
Reminiscing about the family’s long connection with the sport, Churchill said, “My father Braz was a referee. He quit a police officer’s job and took to refereeing when we were young. People who knew him will tell you that he was unbiased and even gave marching orders to his brother-in-law for a foul,” Churchill said.
In his younger days, Churchill and his brothers played football and volleyball and he established Churchill Brothers Club in 1988. He has not looked back since, as the club roped in good players and went from strength to strength. “Among players I imported, Odafa Okolie was the best. He was a prolific goal-scorer. He helped the club win two titles and the press gave him the title ‘goal machine’.”
However, Churchill remembers how Odafa slipped out of his flat overnight and joined Mohun Bagan. “After reports surfaced that Odafa was trying to join the Bengal team, I sent my friend to check on him at night. He told me that two sandals and shoes were lying outside his flat and convinced me that he was inside. When I went to check, Odafa was missing, though the sandals were lying outside!” he said, adding that Odaka will be shortly visiting Goa.
Churchill wants to see his club doing well in the ISL. “FC Goa has State players but the club is not owned by a Goan. Our fans want to see the club playing in the ISL and I seek the blessings of the Almighty,” he told us.
To a question, Churchill admitted that his team lost two points after the AIFF Disciplinary Committee found that the team had fielded an ineligible player thereby committing breach of I-League regulations. The game against Aizawal F C played at Mizoram had ended in 1-1 draw on February 17 but the AIFF Disciplinary Committee declared the result in a forfeiture of 0-3 loss for Churchill Brothers F C.
However, the club patron strongly denied that he had publicly criticised referee Crystal John for awarding a penalty to Sreenidhi Deccan F C in the 10th minute of stoppage time. “I never criticised the referee but it was the fans who shouted that the referee was biased,” he said.
Elaborating on the controversy, Churchill said, “We were leading by a solitary goal and seven minutes add on time was given. But the referee played 10 minutes and awarded a penalty. The game ended in a draw. If the game had ended within seven minutes of injury time, we would have by now been I-League champions… God wanted us to win but the demon took it away.”