MARGAO
Guts, grit and glory. That sums up Young Boys of Tonca Club’s season of Goa First Division League that concluded recently. Playing catch-up for the most part of the final against the team turned the tables at the last minute to lay their hands on the enormous trophy and propel the city to the top of Goan football.
It’s been a long time coming. YBT had dominated Goan football. That spark has been rekindled now, even as none from Tonca was on the First Division League-winning side. However, team owner Nelson da Cunha, president of the club, promises to provide chances for talented youngsters to prove themselves.
"The youth will get lots of chances in YBT age group sides. Talented players and enthusiasts will have an opportunity to get trained or work with Head coach s going forward. Hopefully, they will graduate from the youth teams to the senior side over a period of time," he told The Goan Every day after the victory.
"Football in Tonca will be a year-long activity. We will provide opportunities for all of them," Da Cunha pledged.
An enterprising Da Cunha has worked on grassroots football and is the engine behind the team. The man driving it is Manuel Po, the coach. "The biggest strength of this squad is unity. They are a tight unit and play for each other," he says.
"The boys have been tough mentally, is a challenge. It’s fantastic to coach these kinds of players," Po who played for Acassaim Youth Club, Churchill Brothers, Vasco Club and Sporting Clube de Goa adds.
Talking about the success of the team, Cabral said: "We have tried to keep the core intact, that’s been one of the key factors. We’ve had players like Nestor Dias cut his short journey and rushed to the United Kingdom for employment. All our lives we dream of something like this and it has come true and I can be with my family," the coach beamed. He however added that first two matches he could not sit on the bench and the team suffered two defeats but better counsel prevailed as he was summoned by the club to train the team and achieved success.
"My advice to my players is that you just have to play the game. Of course, we keep winning our first priority but sometimes we have to think beyond winning also, you know. Of course, we are going to play with honesty, hard work. That is the most important thing for the boys there,” Po said.
"Our boys are very excited to perform here. They have been already saying that we have to get into this stage. The First Division league is something that everyone looks up to. I have also been telling them that they need to be in that position where they can prove that they are good players because last four-five years we have been working hard,” he signed off.
There’s no time to rest on laurels though. "Preparation for the next season actually starts now. We will sit down and assess the team, find out the gaps and try to strengthen the side even more," Po says.
