PANJIM: State Champions Sporting Clube de Goa (SCG) kicked off their season’s training after blessing off their colours at a mass celebrated at Don Bosco Shrine in the city.
The Flaming Orange, who are in their 16th year of existence have coined a new mantra, which will be the club’s ethos for the new season.
Patron and CEO of Clube Sporting Peter Vaz informed Herald that this year the goal of Sporting would be different.
“For the last 15 years I have always cherished that Sporting Clube would be the best in India. But somehow we kept falling short of the final target when being amongst the top. It is not a lack of effort from us. I have set a different goal for the club. And that is – Only Winning Matters – It must now be a habit that must be cultivated in the club. I do not mean win at the cost of fair play. And sometimes luck is also needed. I am looking at a very professional approach and have paid special attention at the entire structure of the club, which primarily includes backroom support, coaching, management, physical training with a scientific approach etc. which will function as one cohesive unit, only than we will succeed in getting dividends. We also pray today that God showers his blessings on us for the season,” Vaz told Herald.
Fr Joaquim Lobo reflected the motto in his homily. “You have to give your best to be the best and stay the best not only in India but globally,” he said to the players.
Fr Lobo concelebrated the mass with Fr Wilfred Sequeira.
The club boast of a good blend of youth and experience. Apart from retaining their core group of players the club has roped in well balanced set of players that has three senior players and the three most promising players from Sesa Football Academy. Besides, two of the best Tata Football Academy products including its captain have joined the Flaming Orange outfit.
Five players, after microscopic observation, were roped in from the Indian Under-19 squad. A Spanish defender Pablo Gallardo has also joined the rank and file of the club.
The fact that Sporting Clube de Goa are all geared up to breast the tape on the last lap. Over the years, the SCG have finished runners-up in most major national championships earning the media tag of “Chokers of Indian Football”, Sporting Clube are set to change that reputation.
And from the fact that five of its players, India goalkeeper Kamaljit Singh, Ravi Kumar, Joyler Laurenco, Reenam Almeida and Rowlin Borges, are representing India U-23 on its tour to the Czech Republic, is an indication of the things to come from Sporting Clube. And besides that Sporting Clube have seriously put a lot of effort to build the state-of-art in house training facility in the State.
