Team Herald
PANJIM: Youth Club of Manora have been relegated from the Goa Professional League. However, it is given to understand that efforts are being made by a section of the executive committee to keep them in the top league for another year.
“If there is no relegation then why was the relegation league even played? Why was the Association’s money wasted when we have been struggling lately,” questioned a senior member from South.
“If there is no relegation then the match-manipulations will increase. We had decided to have the relegation and I hope the President will stick to the decision and not change it,” stated the member.
For the last two seasons there has been no relegation in the Goa Professional League and during this time, there has been the highest number of matches being red-flagged by the integrity partner. However, the association probably could have failed to look at this fact where it could be a driving force for the players and the teams.
Is the absence of relegation the biggest cause of match-manipulations?
Jonathan De Souza stated that if they continue to have no relegation in GPL, it will encourage more illegalities in the league. “We all know what happens when you have nothing to lose. This itself can be a huge concern for the association and the beautiful game,” stated Jonathan.
Another member from South Goa, stated that a decision was taken at the beginning to have relegation. “The current team which got relegated isn’t helping any Goans. At the moment if you check the line-up most of the players are Bengali. It is noticed they fielded all Bengali players in the line-up where their coach was a Bengali too. The team had a Goan coach and many Goan players, why did they quit the club? Asked the member.
Earlier in 2021, just before the second wave, GFA former Vice President Lavinio Rebello had made a statement that GFA Pro League is not a festival like ISL, it’s a competition, and had demanded for relegation for that particular season too irrespective to GFA’s inability to conduct the First Division League, where ultimately the body decided not to relegate the team, but the decision came after the demise of the football administrator, who lost the battle to COVID.
