Kushal, Cusco, Shetty hail GFDC

Goa proposed as beach soccer destination in India

TEAM HERALD

sports@herald-goa.com

PANJIM: While AIFF’s general secretary Kushal Das hailed the setting up of GFDC as a wonderful initiative for the upliftment of Indian football, Joan Cusco, vice-president of Beach Soccer World Wide (BSWW) promised to make Goa the beach soccer destination in India which will also promote Goa beach tourism. And even, Bollywood star Sunil Shetty, sports promoter, pleged his support, even to the extent of launching the Celebrity Football League a la Celebrity Cricket League. They were addressing the delegates attending the first Goa International Football Table (GIFT) summit organized by Goa Football Development Council (GFDC) at Mira Mar, Friday.

Cusco’s presentation stole the show on Day One as he had a well set, compact agenda for Goa. “We love challenges. We have come to Goa with a definite goal. We will host an international event on Goan beaches with four international teams, including the National India team, for the Goa international beach soccer cup, which will provide great TV coverage worldwide for promotion of Goan beach tourism also. The Russians will just love it. We will also launch grassroot events involving local communities and Goa will go on to become the main reference point in India. What Rio de Janeiro is for Brazil and Dubai for Gulf, Goa will be the main point for India,” stated

Cusco, whose organization at one time had exclusive rights for beach soccer which have now been acquired by FIFA. “I strongly believe that there is a chance to make Goa the jewel in the crown of beach soccer,” thundered Cusco to the applause of the appreciative gathering.

“Beach football is a spectacular event, the actions being close to the crowd. It is fast, spectacular, much more so as everyone loves beaches. It is halfway football and halfway tourism and Goa is the ideal location. It is also easy to play with the lowest rate of injuries,” explained Cusco.

Cusco pleaded for the introduction of Football Sevens which is very popular all over Spain and Argentina. “It is closest and quickest connection to football.”

“Most of great Brazilian footballers like Pele, Ronaldinho, Romario, Rivaldo are beach soccer products. In the initial period it was an 11-a-side event, but later it became 5-a-side with three periods of 12 minutes each with adequate breaks. The size of the field was reduced to fit in for TV coverage and overall time totalled one hour so as to fit in Hollywood style films. It attracted football stars and eventually the clubs developed a passion for the event with world club competition,” remarked Cusco.

Kushal Das while congratulating GFDC for its monumental work done in just one year with setting up of five developmetal centres for youth, first aid courses, referees training, stressed on the need for proper implementation of the football policy. The GFDC has come out with a policy document. For its effective implementation, which is the key issue, the GFDC will have to work together with AIFF and GFA. We have the master technical plan, having already set up regional and also elite academies. We have launched a strong grassroot programme in Mizoram and all these measures will provide the much needed impetus for football development. The GFDC has done wonderful work and I hope other States will emulate the Goan example which is path-breaking,” said Kushal Das.

“We need to improve the quality of football in India. We need quality footballers so that there is emergence of home grown heroes. Changing the name of the club so that clubs identify with the cities like what Pune FC did, would not be the solution to the present problems that Indian football is facing as the present clubs have good fan base. We need to focus on proper talent identification and player development,” pointed out Kushal Das.

Scott O’Donell, FIFA/AIFF national academies technical director and direct of coach education, stressed on the need for a well structured youth development programme with grassroot and football schools being the base, which, he pointed out, was sadly missing in India. Then come regional academies followed by elite academies and ultimately leading to be part of the National team, which is the ultimate dream of the footballer. We need to increase the base which has been neglected all these years. The grassroot programme should be for 6-16 years olds with emphasis on fun under the supervision of life skill educators. Development is important before winning, so we need to create proper environment where results don’t count. We need to involve the parents also and have small-sided games. It will be just fun,” voiced Scott.

“Subsequently, players should be selected as per the correct age since age-cheating is rampant in India. In the last U-13, only Delhi, Mizoram and Sikkim never cheated on birth-dates of their players. Out of 120 selected youngsters we found that 90 were overaged,” elaborated Scott. Later, when asked if Goa had fielded any overaged player, Scott replied: “Yes, one.”

Scott was frank in stating that there were problems in the implementation of AIFF’s Master Plan.

Dr Robin Petersen, CEO, South African Football Developmental Agency and ex-CEO of South African Football Association, rated the event as an incredible one. “S Africa’ s ranking (FIFA) has gone down to 85 from 60 in 2002. We found out that there was something fundamentally wrong. It took the technical experts three full days to devise strategies needed to raise our standard for the next ten years with focus on development of national uniform philosophy for everyone including coaches, rebuilding competition development with the ratio of coaches and trainees being 1:20; raising 1,50,000 competent coaches in the next 10 years; building of a rich, robust talent identification plan from U-13 with selection of 1000 boys and girls; upgrading football infrastructure especially in rural areas, integrating all insights of sports sciences and investment in football administration with technological assistance from German Football Federation,” disclosed Dr Robin. “The ultimate goal is to be among the top three in Africa and among the top 20 at the world level,” he added.

“To be at the top of the pyramid, there is need of a massive investment at the base. Skill development is crucial. We need to keep kids out of streets and utilize the power of life skill educators (coaches) for  changing communities. Development of infrastructure upgrades communities and futsal is key to football development. With life skill educators we aim to change football and with it change our country,” summed up the S African.

Sesa FA coach Sioulas Anastasios dwelt on the need to have everyone to play football rather than insiting on sophisticated infrastructure. “Get the youngsters on the playfield,” he advised.

Rajeev Piramal, vice-chairman and managing director, Peninsula Land (Pune FC) stressed on the need of adequate infrastructure while Jovito Lopes, sports editor, Herald, remarked: “Poor infrastructure, poor brand development results in poor product. We need good infrastructure at the grassroot with highly competent technical directors and coaches. Government alone cannot do everything and as such we need Public-Private-Partnership policies. There will be no corporate support until a top quality product exists and the top quality product will not be developed until there are significant investments.”

Sports Secretary Keshav Chandra, Dr Rufino Monteiro also spoke.