MARGAO
Money pumped into sports provides results. The prime example: the ongoing Indian Super League.
However, this story is not true in Goan football with most of the teams in the State's top flight, the Goa Professional League facing a financial crunch.
Inflation has hit the common man on the street at a rapid pace in the State and the beautiful game is not immune to the changes taking place. Lack of sponsors and financial woes are the main reasons for Salcete Football Club, Margao Sports Club and Wilred Leisure Sports Cub keeping away from the competition organised by Goa Football Association (GFA).
Instead, the teams are focusing on youth development. Left with no alternative, some of the clubs of repute that have done a lot for football over the years have pulled out from the higher division and have preferred to play in the lower division. Last year, the decision of the Corps of Signals to withdraw from the Professional League was a real shocker. This is a sad commentary on the state of the game in Goa.
Salcete Football Club used to be the top feeder club for the star teams ” Dempo, Salgaocar and Sesa Goa. Players like Mauricio Afonso, Savio Madeira, Alvito D'Cunha, Franky Baretto, Climax Lawrance, Mario Soares, Mahesh Gawli, started out in Salcete FC before moving on to the bigger clubs. But sadly, these ‘small’ clubs are on the verge of extinction due to the lack of financial muscle.
The State government declared Jogo Bonito (The Beautiful game) as the State game but except for the formation and funding of the Goa Football Development Council, which has been running centres across the State to initiate kids into the game and train them, the task is far from done. More needs to be done.
A study on the ills and strong points of football and what ails the beautiful game and what needs to be done immediately is the urgent need. The faster we see the process, the better.
"The condition of these clubs isn’t good. There are no sponsors. I’m trying my best to run the club forward as the budget is low,” Ravish Nagvenkar, the overall manager of Vasco Sports Club told The Goan. He, however, said that their budget is less than that of Salgaocar FC and Dempo SC.
Jhoncy Fernandes, president of Guardian Angel Sports Club, said it’s difficult to raise a good squad on a shoe-string budget. "Due to the lack of financial support due to the Covid-19 pandemic we could not raise the budget and squad," Jhoncy said.
The unforeseen events have impacted Goan football and shook its core as these clubs are forced to deviate from their chosen path of nurturing local players.
