PANJIM: Compared to the entire season, there were more fans than usual for the Goa Pro League match at the Duler Stadium on Friday. The Golden Eagles and football fans had turned out in large numbers to watch the Dempo Sports Club play their final league match against former champions Sporting Clube de Goa, but moreover it was to see their team —Dempo SC lift the trophy after 11 long years.
While the fans came to acknowledge the champions, only four Goa Football Association Executive Members turned up for the game. More shocking, the association did not arrange a trophy for the champions.
It was at this point the four members present at the venue— Babli Mandrekar, Jonathan De Sousa, John Silva and Welvin Menezes contributed and arranged a trophy before the full time to save the association from further blunders. The four GFA Executive Members didn’t let Dempo Sports Club’s celebration dampen.
With no President and Secretary present for such a prestigious occasion, they requested Dr Fenton De Souza to give away the trophy to the champions Dempo Sports Club, who ended their league campaign with a 1-0 win, after Klusner Pereira scored the lone goal from a direct free kick in the 40th minute.
“When I entered the stadium I saw there were no arrangements made to present the Champions a trophy. At half time, some fans came to me and asked whether the GFA had planned any trophy presentation. I was embarrassed. The other members and myself who were present quickly took a decision to get a Trophy. This is the least we could do to save face ,” stated GFA Executive Member Jonathan De Sousa. “Four years have gone by with nothing to show. FC Goa were ready with sponsors to give the Professional League a boost in 2020. But the Association thought otherwise. Today, we are left with a decaying League that is bereft of broadcast, poor organisation and an association that is least bothered. What is happening to Goan football is shameful”, he further added.
The irate members at the venue didn’t wait to play the blame game rather chose to resolve the issue by themselves to acknowledge the champions Dempo SC, whose patron Shrinivas Dempo was also a former President of Goa Football Association.
“It’s a huge disrespect on the part of the association to Dempo SC. Though the club and fans don’t know what exactly happened, as members we are embarrassed today. The champions would have to celebrate with nothing if not for the quick decision of the four members,” stated another GFA Executive Member Welvin Menezes.
“Today proved that we need a good leader who can think about Goan football and the clubs. Winning a title is an emotional moment for a club and we can’t delay such emotions. How can the association be so irresponsible? I blame the secretary for his inability to understand what’s important for the sport,” stated aggrieved Menezes.
Goa Football has hit a nadir considering the recent developments. It’s high time the association wakes up and works on getting the game back to the top once again.
