GFA looking for Returning Officer
*Two sure to contest for president’s post
HERALD SPORTS REPORTER
PANJIM, AUG 18
With Francisco Tavora expressing his inability to accept GFA’s offer of being nominated as the Returning Officer due to the India-Australia ODI at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, the GFA is expected to finalise the new nomination soon.
With the GFA elections to the new Executive Committee on October 24 coinciding with the ODI in Margao, Tavora politely declined the offer, stated Savio Messias, general secretary. “We’ll appoint another personality which has to be a lawyer with 10 years standing or a retired judge,” he added.
Meanwhile, several candidates have begun their moves for contesting the elections for 17 posts in all. Once, the candidates for the post of president are finalised, the groups will emerge. So far, for the post of president, Savio Messias is a sure contestant, come what may. Savio is adamant, having begun his preparations long back. He has already contacted the clubs, with some pledging their quick support openly like St Anthony’s Club of Colva, Saligao United and ICSC Paroda.
Another candidate for the post of president, who at this moment stated he was also very serious is Peter Vaz of Sporting Clube de Goa. When asked why he had deliberately chosen a select few to announce his candidature, Peter shot back: “It was all of a sudden yesterday.” How sudden it was, it will be best known only to Peter, like his objective in doing the selective job, for he had even given an interview to his only favourite very early in the evening yesterday.
Peter, in the past, had also shown total willingness to contest but would withdraw subsequently at the last moment. As such, when asked how serious he was this time, Peter said, “This time, I shall not withdraw. Yesterday, everyone was asking me to contest. I will file my nomination and I shall contest this time positively,” he reiterated.
Peter reinforced that football was a passion for him.”I am all for football. Let’s fight the election as friends. I have told Savio about it, because we are friends. Let’s be united for football. Let’s do constructive work and let’s work differently. It has to be team work,” disclosed Peter.
“We need to do things in a big way now. We need to establish new partnerships,” Peter said. When asked if he had already chosen his team members, Peter said that the process was on and added that in every zone there was need for people with organisational capabilities because the structure of the committee stands changed now. “I have not yet identified the members, but the process is on.”
One name that is almost sure in Ilhas is Anju Albuquerque. Another name that is being mentioned is Sanjiv Nagvenkar.
The name of PWD Minister Churchill Alemao for the post of president was also in the air. However, Churchill categorically stated to a large group of Bardez Club members on Tuesday that he was available provided every club was behind him, given his passion, commitment, dedication and capacity for the cause of football all these years.
Churchill disclosed that he had asked Srinivas (Baba) Dempo and Shivanand Salgaocar if they were keen in contesting the election, to which they replied in the negative. They assured me of their support, he added.
Churchill emphasised that the work on floodlights at Nehru Stadium at Fatorda would be taken up soon as he had already signed the necessary file, permitting the PWD engineers to supervise and certify the works to be carried out there. V M Prabhudesai, SAG’s Executive Director corroborated the fact and added that the tenders will be issued soon, since Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat and Sports Minister, Babu Azgaoncar were also pursuing the matter on priority basis. However, Churchill pointed out that it had nothing to do with the election as the file was signed much, much before July 18, when elections were declared, as he has always been a consistent promoter of football, having even worked to provide grants for development of playgrounds through various available government schemes, since in football it was important that the club has a ground for practice purposes.
From the overall tone, it was clear that Churchill was not keen in contesting, except if there was total consensus, which looks impossible. As such, one could rule out Churchill from the contest, thus leaving Peter and Savio in the fray for a direct fight.
Most of the Bardez members pledged their spontaneous support to Churchill yesterday, but the PWD Minister said that the final decision ought to be taken by all clubs in the larger interests of Goan football and that if all wanted him, only then he would be available.
Meanwhile, the names of Elvis Gomes for the post of vice-president, Dionisio Sardinha, Jaju Fernandes, Schubert Fernandes, Arnaldo Costa, Anthony Pango (members) were doing the rounds in Salcete, with some of them being backed by Peter Vaz.
In Bardez, Lavinio Rebello is a sure contestant. He has displayed his capacity in ample measure.
