Team Herald
MAPUSA: A decade back football lovers flocked the stadiums, travelling miles to watch their teams play in the Goa Professional League (GPL) or I-League matches, but today you hardly see a few seated in the empty stadiums and the question why has to be answered by the organisers of these leagues.
Once Goa was proud to have number of players donning the I-League and ISL teams but today there is only one team in the I-League ‘Churchill Brothers FC’ and a handful of players donning the ISL jerseys.
Today, the spectators prefer to seat at home and watch the EPL, La Liga, French Ligue 1, Italian League, etc, instead of travelling a distance to watch the unorganised league matches which today are not spectator-friendly.
Despite knowing the fact, a GPL match between FC Goa and Churchill Brothers, which was scheduled on November 27, has been postponed to December 3 (feast of St Francis Xavier (public holiday). The spectators are surprised and want to know as to how the match can be played when families of all communities spend the day with their dear ones in the celebration of this festivity.
The match was rescheduled as Churchill Brothers had asked for the same as they have an I-League match to play on December 1, at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda.
Die hard spectators, who are seen regularly at the Duler Stadium, Mapusa, which include John D’Souza, Mahesh Vaingankar, Bosco D’Costa, Anthony Pango, and many more who come to watch the matches want the answers on the ongoing GPL.
“Despite knowing the fact that December 3 is the feast of St Francis Xavier (public holiday kept by the Government of Goa) the match between the two best teams is scheduled for the day. Are the organisers unaware that there are hardly a few spectators who come to witness the match may also not turn up. Are the organisers not interested in getting spectators?” they questioned.
Recalling other instances, they asked as to why the GPL match between FC Goa and Sporting Clube de Goa was cancelled at the eleventh hour-sighting heavy showers. Print media brought in their daily fixtures about the scheduled match and the spectators had gathered in large numbers to watch the encounter, but had to return home disappointed, with no match being played. The teams, match officials, press were informed about the postponement, what about the spectators, they wondered.
They also recalled another instance when a match between Sesa FA and Guardian Angel was held on the Diwali day (October 27) wherein hardly a few spectators witnessed the encounter.
Speaking to GFA’s Competition Manager Adv Dominic Pereira over the December 3 match, he said the decision of scheduling was done at the GFA’s headquarters, though he had brought to the notice of the secretary that to have the match on December 3 was not advisable.
“I had asked for December 4 but was rejected as Churchill Brothers, who are travelling for their away I-League match on December 7, were not available,” he said.
He further informed that the match would be played as scheduled as both the teams did not object.
Although, Adv Dominic informed that there was no objection from both the teams, it is understood that FC Goa had requested GFA to reschedule the same but was rejected.
