MARGAO
This season, the tournament will feature just one I-League -- Churchill Brothers -- fighting for top honours with Dempo SC, Salgaocar FC and Sporting Clube de Goa, who pulled out from the I-League last year.
The professionalism which was introduced in Goan football through the Pro League has taken its toll on teams with limited financial backing. Penha de Franca Sports Club (Pro League), Wilred Lesiure Sports Club (2015), Salcete FC, Margao Sports Club (First Divison League clubs) had unceremoniously withdrawn their teams from the tournament. With the exit of Sesa Football Academy last year, the Pro League has lost its lustre with more than a handful of teams like Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim, Calangute Association and Gurdian Angel Sports Club facing financial constraints.
The dwindling attendance for the matches has also contributed to the slide of the Pro League. The Goa Football Association tried several changes and even hosted the matches in village grounds to attract the attention of the crowds but it yielded
little results.
Dempo Sports Club, the winners of AWES Cup have the wherewithal to not just upset the applecart of the fancied teams but stake their claim for the coveted title and coach Samir Naik wants his young lads to improve at every step and be consistent.
Meanwhile, Salgaocar FC will begin the defence of their title when they take on Panjim Footballers in the opening match of the GFA Pro League at Duler Stadium, Mapusa on Sunday. Reigning champions Salgaocar, having fallen short in the recently held AWES Cup, would be eager to retain their crown.
Norbert Gonsalves, head coach of Salgaocar FC, wants his boys to focus on one match at a time and look to garner as many points as possible. The coach and his wards do appear quite confident but it's a relatively new team this season for the Greens. Now, how Gonsalves motivates these youngsters remains to be seen.
Sporting Clube de Goa are another title contenders that can challenge the best in the business. But the tendency to bungle up at the business end or tendency to draw with even the weakest of the weak teams scupper their hopes and chances of wining the title. Even last season, they did put up a disciplined show but finished runners-up.
FC Goa Development side head coach Derrick Pereira's tactical acumen has seen the team do really well on debut. He loves an attacking team and that's not going to change. Churchill Brothers coach Alfred Fernandes wants his team to finish with a decent performance and his players to rise to every challenge and express themselves freely. FC Bardez are backed by a youthful exuberance and quite crucially have much more talent and coach Armando Colaco prefers promoting youngsters, who love to attack.
The teams that will feature in this edition of the Pro League are: Salgaocar FC, Sporting Clube de Goa, Dempo Sports Club, Churchill Brothers Sports Club, FC Goa Development side, FC Bardez, Calangute Association, Vasco Sports Club, Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim, Guardian Angel Sports Club Curchorem, Corps of Signals and Panjim Footballers.
