MARGAO
Financial difficulty is hitting the operations of football clubs in Goa at an alarming level with Immaculate Conception Sports Club, Paroda, being the latest to quit the GFA First Division League. There is no doubt that it has become a big task to sustain a football club to compete in Goa Football Association’s top-level leagues.
Penha de Franca Sports Club in the recent past, left the GFA Professional League and now comes the shock pull-out by Immaculate Conception from Paroda, quitting from the First Division League 2018-19, citing financial woes as the trigger.
“Owing to severe financial crisis, we have decided not to play in the First Division League,” said vice-president of Immaculate Conception, Gerald Lopes. “We spent around Rs 7 to 8 lakh and the money was not sufficient to sustain the club,” added Lopes. The club has informed the GFA about their decision. Money pumped into sports, helps to get the results through strong teams; but the crunch situations draw drastic action. Lack of sponsors seem like the main reason for Laxmi Prasad Sports Club, Wilred Leisure Sports Club, Salcete Football Club and Margao Sports Club keeping away from the GFA Leagues.
A top official of a prominent club said: ‘’The state government may have declared the ‘Jogo Bonito’ (Beautiful game) as the state sport, but except for the formation of Goa Football Development Council which has been running 33 football centres, the task is far from done. A study on the ills and what ails the beautiful game, is an urgent challenge. The faster, the process, the better it is for development and sustainability of football in the state.”
