MARGAO
Thousands of F C Goa flags and banners added colour to the charged up atmosphere inside the Nehru stadium, Fatorda, when the local outfit played against rivals F C Pune on Saturday.
Outside, a couple of banners, however, stood out as they surfaced on the retaining wall of Goa's lone three decades old stadium.
The banners conveyed a simple message thanking the very man, responsible for putting in place the Nehru stadium in record six months time, former Sports Minister Monte Cruz. These banners
Thousands of F C Goa flags and banners added colour to the charged up atmosphere inside the Nehru stadium, Fatorda, when the local outfit played against rivals F C Pune on Saturday.
Outside, a couple of banners, however, stood out as they surfaced on the retaining wall of Goa's lone three decades old stadium.
The banners conveyed a simple message thanking the very man, responsible for putting in place the Nehru stadium in record six months time, former Sports Minister Monte Cruz. These banners
came up outside the Nehru stadium two days after a group of ardent FC Goa fans called on the ailing former Sports Minister at his Pajifond residence, just to say a big thank you for his unprecedented work.
F C Goa fan from Seraulim, Saturnino Rodrigues told the Goan that the banners were put up outside the stadium just to pay their gratitude to Monte Cruz for his big achievement as Sports Minister. "We called on the former Minister around two days ago just to convey our sincere thanks to him for putting the Nehru stadium in place within six months. The former Sports Minister was deeply touched when we called on him at his residence," Saturnino said.
A group of F C Goa fans led by Saturnino has now decided to petition the government to name one of the four stands after Monte Cruz as a tribute to the former Sports Minister.
The petition will be given to the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and the Sports Minister Babu Azgaonkar to consider the request of the soccer crazy fans to name at least one of the four stands after Monte Cruz.
In the past, the former Sports Minister was publicly felicitated at the Nehru stadium during a football tie. But, this is the first time that a request has come from soccer crazy fans to the government to consider naming one of the stands after Monte Cruz.
The Goa's lone stadium of international standard has played host to many an international sporting events.
F C Goa fan from Seraulim, Saturnino Rodrigues told the Goan that the banners were put up outside the stadium just to pay their gratitude to Monte Cruz for his big achievement as Sports Minister. "We called on the former Minister around two days ago just to convey our sincere thanks to him for putting the Nehru stadium in place within six months. The former Sports Minister was deeply touched when we called on him at his residence," Saturnino said.
A group of F C Goa fans led by Saturnino has now decided to petition the government to name one of the four stands after Monte Cruz as a tribute to the former Sports Minister.
The petition will be given to the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and the Sports Minister Babu Azgaonkar to consider the request of the soccer crazy fans to name at least one of the four stands after Monte Cruz.
In the past, the former Sports Minister was publicly felicitated at the Nehru stadium during a football tie. But, this is the first time that a request has come from soccer crazy fans to the government to consider naming one of the stands after Monte Cruz.
The Goa's lone stadium of international standard has played host to many an international sporting events.
