New GFA constitution envisages professionalism, remarks Savio

New GFA constitution envisages professionalism, remarks Savio
By Aldrid Da Costa
MAPUSA, JULY 7
The GFA will change its constitution at the Extraordinary General Meeting to be held here on July 18. This has to be done as per the AFC and AIFF directives.
The Herald caught up with the GFA secretary, Savio Messias so that the affiliated clubs could understand the reasons and the expected outcomes.
Q: What is the main reason for changing the constitution?
SM: The AIFF has been asked by the AFC to bring their constitution in line with FIFA and the AFC. The AIFF has now asked its state associations to follow suit. The GFA constitution is in a good standing but in order to embrace professionalism we will put it across our members at a special meeting.
Q: What will be the benefits to the GFA in amending the constitution?
SM: The benefits will be a committee with a president, a full time executive secretary instead of a general secretary and the treasurer will be replaced by a professional accountant. There will be one vice-president for the North Goa and one for South Goa  instead of the current four vice-presidents. We will also have seven executive members from North and seven from the South.
 Q: How will the members vote for the new committee?
SM: At the moment we have four zones – Bardez, Ilhas, Mormugao and Salcete and all the members vote for the candidates in each other’s zone. In the new committee, members from North will only vote for the North candidates while the members from the South will only vote for the South candidates to give a fair representation to the contestants.
Q: How will the constitution affect the village clubs?
SM: The GFA constitution will not have much effect on the running of the village clubs, but we have asked each club to submit their constitution so that we can sit down and see how best we can give them guidance and support with the rapidly changing football scenario.
Q: What new roles will be created by the new constitution?
SM: The executive secretary’s job will be a full time, paid job, just like that of the AIFF. Some of the new committees that will be formed are for media, marketing, planning and development, sports medicine and technical and coaching. In the past it would be just the executive committee involved, but we are hoping that the ordinary members take up these roles and become more involved. 
 Q: Will the AIFF support the GFA financially with the change in constitution?
SM: We would hope that the AIFF give its state associations who decide to take on the new constitution some financial assistance it receives from FIFA, so we can hire professionals in our administration. But no financial implications have been discussed, so far.
 Q: Being the first state asssociation in India to attempt to take on the new constitution, what will be the obstacles?
SM: There will be no major hurdles as we already have a good structure in place. The president will have full powers, so depending on how he handles the day-to-day running of the office will determine how successful we will be in implementing the constitution and overcoming obstacles.