The decision of Salgaocar Football Club not to field their senior teams in the Goa Football Association's top-flight leagues is a body blow to Goan football. One of the most successful football clubs from Goa, Salgaocar was a nursery for the sport in the State, but without their senior teams in action for the first time since their inception in 1956, it ended its time as one of the big boys of Indian top-flight football.
The retreat of the club to the sidelines started after it decided -- along with fellow Goan sides Dempo Sports Club and Sporting Clube de Goa -- to withdraw from the I-League in protest of All India Football Federation's roadmap, which relegated the league to the second rung of Indian Football below the Indian Super League (ISL).
Although the club had faded to the peripheries of Indian Football, one hoped it had plans for a big comeback like their rivals Dempo, who have ambitions of playing in the ISL. However, the club's decision to bring the curtains down on the first team came out of nowhere and has put the Goa Football Association -- which was warming up to the idea of letting outstation teams set base in the State -- on a sticky wicket.
Even though Salgaocar has not attributed any direct reason/s for their decision to disband their senior teams and has not made an official announcement, the move reflects the general malaise gripping Goan football over the years. For a club of Salgaocar's stature, it would have been a very difficult and heartbreaking decision for the owners.
Whatever the reason, the club's exit is a big loss for both Goan Football and Indian Football overall. While the legions of fans of the Green Brigade are now left clubless, Salgaocar's exit would shake the entire ecosystem of Goan Football. Thankfully, the Greens would continue to run their junior teams and their community outreach programmes.
The club has left an indelible footprint on the sport with their entertaining and highly competitive brand of football for nearly seven long decades, during which the State got iconic names like Brahmanand Sankhwalkar, Bruno Coutinho, Derrick Pereira, Savio Madeira and many others. The exit has left a big void and poses many uncomfortable questions to the stakeholders of the game in the State.
A walk down memory lane would be incomplete without the picture of the traditional and fierce football rivalries between Salgaocar FC and Dempo SC, another legendary name in the sport. In the 70s, clashes between the two teams drew packed crowds at Bandodkar Stadium at Margao and Campal Stadium at Panaji in war-zone-like environments. For Goans, the thrill was none less than watching a World Cup match.
Over the years, more especially in the last decade, football began its descent and gradually lost its sheen. Crowds started disintegrating, and football was losing its 'most-loved sport' tag. The traditional village tournaments faded into oblivion one by one, and the once-famous names in the game exited the arena and looked at alternate avenues.
While the government did its best in the last decade and provided excellent infrastructure by building mini-stadiums and football grounds in villages, besides providing other logistical support, it failed to bring the flavour back. The ISL changed the sport's trajectory in October 2014, with entertainment becoming the focus of the sport.
The narrative has changed big time, and with big names leaving the turf, it's time to put the thinking cap on. Salgaocar FC's exit is another alarm bell for Goan Football.
