TEAM HERALD
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA:
The Goa Football Association (GFA) will kick-off the First Division league on December 17 even though the Second Division league has not yet commenced and the Third Division is still in progress.
One of the main reasons that the First division is held after the conclusion of the Second and Third division is to ensure a smooth flow of loanees between clubs. These players require continuous competition to ensure complete development of players but with the change in the GFA’s mandate the very purpose of the entire loan system followed by the GFA will be affected.
Usually, as per the GFA’s calendar, the First Division league only starts after the conclusion of the Third and Second divisions respectively. This season the GFA’s Competitions Committee has prepared a new calendar which clearly stated commencement of the First Division in December, however, coming as a rude shock for some teams. The parent association will now begin the First Division before the Second Division to meet their tight calendar.
Chairman of the Competitions Committee, Schubert Furtado chaired a meeting with the managers of the first division teams on December 2 in Panjim. Vasco SC, Salcete FC and Calangute Association did not oppose to the fixtures while some clubs such as Clube Sao Miguel de Taleigao (CSMT) and newly promoted Nagoa Sporting Club were in distress as their teams are under construction.
With the conclusion of IFFI, followed by the feast of St Francis Xavier the Goa Police have worked tirelessly in safeguarding the State and most of the policemen who play for Goa Police SC are on their toes with Christmas, EDM festivals and New Year approaching. Similar is the case of Corps of Signals SC as most of their servicemen are on holidays till the December 31.
Players are often loaned from second division to the first which gives them an opportunity to play more and benefit financially. Levino Pereira, president of CSMT felt that the competition is only organized for the sake of organizing and the Competitions Committee do not take the clubs into confidence. “I requested the Competitions Committee to first complete the Second Division and then start the First Division in January as it annually does but they did not consider my suggestion. The players loaned can showcase their talent in a more competitive league while earning more at the same time. The GFA and Competitions Committee are just performing their duties for the sake of it and trying to finish the league as soon as possible. Our U-16 team has to play five matches in nine days which is ridiculous. Most of the clubs urged for postponement but nothing happened,” expressed Pereira while Vinod Naik, president of Nagoa SC shared the same opinion.
Arnold Costa, president of Curtorim Gymkhana stated that their club did not object to GFA decision although they would have welcomed the postponement as their team is in building process. “The manager’s meeting was the perfect platform for all clubs to oppose and postpone the league but nothing concrete happened. The GFA has clearly mentioned in their calendar that the First Division league will commence in December, 2012 and I personally did not oppose given the fast approaching dates of the Lusofonia Games and other age group tournaments. But certainly, if the league could be postponed to January it would have benefited us as we are trying hard to build our team.”
The First Division league was originally scheduled to commence from December 9 at the renovated Fatorda Stadium, Margao but due to the ACOLOP’s visit to the venue and keeping up to the clubs grievances, the GFA then decide to start the league from the third round, December 17.
“We are going according the GFA’s calendar and the league is confirmed to start from December 17, even the managers agreed to this at the managers meeting. The problem could have been solved at the meeting itself if all the managers had opposed and asked for postponement but that was not the case even after they were handed the draws.” said a senior GFA official on condition of autonomy.
Given the circumstances the loan rule won’t be applicable as the players from the first division cannot be loaned to the second division teams. If that is the case the loan rule should be scrapped, feels Tony Remedios, president of Second Division team Saligao Sporting Club. “It is unsporting and unfair to start the First Division league before the second Division league. Its depriving players who want to go on loan to other teams. The Second Division teams are the losers and not the first. The GFA has to either follow the rules or scrap the loan system which now makes no sense.” pointed out Tony, GFA’s former vice president (North).
Goa’s official sport is undergoing major changes in their administration but will it boost the sport and contribute in its decline? Only time will tell.
