HERALD: How has GFA performed over the last two years? Have you achieved the set goals?
ELVIS: Better than in the past. A lot of administrative revamp of the various activities conducted is going on. Goals to be scored are many and it hasn’t been easy. There are huge demands on the association from stake holders which stretches the existing capacities to its limits. Besides the annual routine of organising leagues, my focus is on getting tie ups for high quality environments for development of young players. Such environments do not exist here and neither is there a hope creating them in the immediate future . These will create opportunities at the correct ages for gifted footballers say from 12 years to 16 years. Two of our major challenges: Revival of women’s football and a mass recognized coach education programme, have been moving along the right path. We have organised the highest number of coaches development programmes ever in the past 16 months. FIFA inspection team considered us as one of the better managed State associations in the country
HERALD: So the declaration of football as the official sport in the State has not made any difference to GFA?
ELVIS: Absolutely not. We will wait to see what happens this year.
HERALD: The grants which was declared after football was declared the official sport of Goa has it been sufficient to push the sport? What was the grant declared then and how much grant does GFA actually get?
ELVIS: Just to set the record straight, the governing body of the sport of football with 204 affiliated clubs , has received zero grants . For the recently conducted Santosh Trophy zonals wherein the State Football Team took part and won the West Zone Qualifiers, we have been slapped a bill around Rs 2.3 lakhs for use of the Tilak ground. If the State Football Team cannot play at the State’s best sporting venues without being charged, we need a serious rethink of our priorities.
HERALD: Do you think it necessary to have a sports council of senior members to sharpen the GFA?
ELVIS: We have now a 24-member body which earlier was of 20 members. One has to tackle a few who exist only for politicking without any positive contribution . In the recent FIFA assessment of key state associations across India,it was pointed out by the FIFA panel that a 24 member Executive Committee is too huge for our State. The size and composition of the committee of course , the general body will decide. I am not sure how a sports council of senior members would help. The ones who are interested in helping out always do and are always welcome to put forth their suggestions and help. We need doers and not talkers.
HERALD: Will the grassroot programme actually help budding footballers and how?
ELVIS: Obviously. It goes without saying. Our top clubs have been having a reasonably good grassroots programme. But we do not have strong academies in the State where the talent gets nurtured and as you know, some corporates have changed their priorities away from football.
HERALD: New clubs that have emerged in the Goa League suddenly fade away due to various problems have you any solutions to correct this?
ELVIS: Resource crunch has been real. One of our major challenges has been attendance at games which this year though has been marginally better. We do not have the luxury of affording the use of PJN at Fatorda and Tilak at Vasco any more as I am told that there are huge usage fees to be paid. I will place this issue before the forthcoming general body. Now Duler is our only venue. With the stadium getting floodlights by May this year we expect to conduct the Goa Pro League matches in the evenings starting from next season. In an effort to increase attendances and increase the overall
quality of the league , we have mooted the idea of direct entry of teams into the Goa Pro League as an avenue for potential investors to invest into the development of football. Our strength lies in our local clubs that are promoting the sport in their villages without any monetary support.
HERALD: What are your plans for GFA and what boost will Goa football have in the near future?
ELVIS: As you know, India’s ranking has been sliding. I have a hope that Goa could chart out it’s own agenda with the tremendous interest at the base level. The GFA is looking to align with some major football clubs to set up opportunities for more and more Goan children to get trained in academies abroad. Only then we can expect some quality players to flow back.
HERALD: Your thoughts about ISL and the I-league?
ELVIS: The AIFF need to wriggle themselves out of this . The ISL has been bringing in the crowds at many of the venues with the strong backing from the corporate sector. But after the two and a half months of action till the next , there is a complete lull. The I-League has not received the treatment it deserves . For how long can a two leagues structure hold good?
