FC Goa rock on the pitch but where’s the fan connect?

MARGAO

Take the case in point of a neighbouring ISL Club in FC Pune City. They have a proper planning in merchandising and have travelling fan buses moving in large contingents to nearby Mumbai or even Goa for that matter, to cheer ‘The Stallions' -- their team as it is popularly known. Comparatively, the Gaurs are flat-footed en masse at least where their think-thank and fan connect is concerned.
As otherwise on view, the team they have assembled for the forthcoming season promise much with skills, athleticism and endurance with the average age being a principle factor at 26 this season. While FC Goa have tasked themselves backroom with a herd in support staff personnel if one goes by their training sessions and friendlies, the Gaurs' sturdy horns point downwards when it comes to having a connect to their fan base.
It has to be recalled, last season the team had its unveiling at Nagoa Panchayat Village Ground warped under tight security. The gathered audience was kept far away from the players who were more than willing to interact with their fans. Much unlike Season 2 when FC Goa was under a different team ownership and used to train at Tilak Maidan, Vasco and even had their unveiling of the squad there. Fans waiting outside patiently were not let down on selfies or autograph opportunities with their favourite players before they moved into a waiting bus.
Such was the enthusiasm then which is slowly but surely on a downward spiral. Indication was on evidence when the scheduled unveiling of the current squad to be held at 5.15 pm on Thursday at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda was indefinitely postponed as only a handful of fans were in attendance.
"FC Goa in particular is having a slow death ever since it's gone in the hands of a Casino owner. The Zico flavour is gone and some players dropped and new players coming in is going to be a watch and go situation initially for a couple of games," opined Savio Rodrigues, a teacher from Margao.
FC Goa in fact could have done well to keep their friendly open to the public against East Bengal at GMC Stadium, Bambolim on November 3. It may be another matter that fans continued to trickle in the course of the warm-up match as they were allowed access much against their closed door status quo on a social media platform. Then again on Thursday, they moved their next friendly against Mohun Bagan from Bambolim to Fatorda which led to a lot of confusion with no clear communication to the fans.
Sarah Menezes e Colaco, another fan that lives in close proximity of the Fatorda fortress, refuses to believe that ISL is fading out. "I will not say that the league is dying out nor have Goans lost interest for football. The reason for the empty stands at Fatorda on Thursday was I think absence of proper information passed by the management and confusion over the venue," the pharmacist reasoned out. "I am pretty sure everyone will be back with Forca Goa chants and joy and return to the stands," she affirmed.
Ashley Delaney is another passionate FC Goa fan who resides in Saligao. Making plans to travel from afar at short notice is not a prudent idea to say the least. "The change in venue was communicated last minute through a friend that it was shifted to Fatorda (from Bambolim) and hence I could not make it (to the match).
However, I think the enthusiasm is less this year, as the rates for the membership are extremely high as compared to the other teams. FC Pune City for instance, their top membership of Rs 2,500 which is equivalent to the second tier of FC Goa. It is huge, the difference," reasoned out the e-waste management consultant.
Amounting to the rubble to Ashley was the huge mistake in tying up with North East for talent instead of locals. "Lot of people have lost interest as the objective of ISL was to develop local grass-roots talent," he added.