It is given to understand that the FC Goa this season in their participation in the Indian Super League soccer tourney will be without some of the earlier best players not only best in Goan team but also the best in the whole tournament and hence much of the shine of this tournament in the coming edition will be evaporated. For all those artistic players to reach to this currently astronomical height it took them long time especially to acquire the much required combination with their colleagues on the field. After attaining such a high level, FC Goa management to lose them in a very casual manner like, is like a joke, such stars after they acquiring such a glittering stardom on the field mesmerizing not only the spectators and viewers but also their opponents and now to part with their company is not the wise decision. It looks that those who are managing the affairs of FC Goa in the name of Goa and Goans inspite of they being “bhaile” in Goa whose “pallam ani mullam” are deeply rooted in the land of Non Goans, probably by sitting in the A/C Cabin in the Casino floating in the water of Mandovi River from where the Portuguez Commander Afonso de Albuquerque, about 600 years back chalked out his plan to conquer Goa, as per the request of one Topmost Hindu Officer and a Confidante of the Muslim Leader Adilshah, will fail not only them but more importantly they will fail Goans and the name of football crazy GOA. Nobody from outside Goa need to indicate Goans that Goans are less in the art and science of administration of Goan soccer especially those who are totally ignorant of the culture, tradition and history of Goa. The mighty Portuguez during their long stay in Goa recognized this fact and precisely because of this they surrendered their rights of governing the affairs of Goa Football Association into the hands of the genuine and a true Goan, Dr. Gustavo Monteiro as president of GFA. It was because of Dr. Monteiro, Dr. Remigio Pinto and other such great Goan soccer asministrators who selflessly only for the pure love of soccer gave their dedicated service to this job that Goan soccer reached to such a high pedestal inspite of Goa being a tiny State of India. As a matter of appreciation Dr. Gustav Monteiro was invited to Portugal in the late sixties where he was profusely showered with honours by the top Portuguese personnel in Lisboa for running the affairs of Goan soccer so beautifuly.
Knowing his genius all those Panpotti Ghanttis who were dominating in Goa, should have given the top post in the administration of All India Football Federation to Dr. Monteiro knowing his calibre in this field but Dr. Monteiro would accept that post or no it was a different matter. It should be borne in mind that Dr. Gustavo Monteiro due to his sheer brilliance and efficiency, was inducted into the Legislative Assembly of Goa-Damao-Diu as an MLA. During those good old days like what we have Legislative Assembly now, there was then also such an Assembly but with a diference of this: The Portuguese time Assembly consisted of 12 nominated members (MLA’s) while currently we have an Assembly of 40 members (MLA’s) who are elected. The Portuguese time MLA’s were nominated on the basis of their high caste and high social status for this reason they were all coming from the feudal type of people. Since they were nominated on the recommendation of the Governor of Portugal in Goa, all of them were acting like the Slaves and Chamchas of Portugal and Portuguese Governador of Goa. For this reason all those bloody idiot MLA’s never brought a resolution in the Assembly to demand or to request or to plead for the independence of Goa. Many of those MLA’s after the conquest of Goa by India were talking ill of the Bharati rule but not a single stupid MLA of that time raised the issue of Goa’s freedom with the Goa Governador. These were the people who were real culprits who failed Goa and Goans. They were real Slaves admiring dictatorship, they never thought that Bharat serkar under Nehru would act so cunning and so chicaner even to the extent of getting reprimanded by the World when Nehru’s Bharat serkar under the Congress Party sent a powerful Military Batallion in a show of Violence and Not in a show of Non-Violence against India’s principle and as so well used by the father of the nation Mahatmah Gandhi. When by using violence India annexed Goa, in a show of solidarity with Portugal over liquidation process of Goa by the mighty Bahrat, majority of the members in the UNO passed a resolution telling India to “Get Out” from Goa immediately by withdrawing its troop from the sacred land of Goa but it was Soviet Russia’s Veto that allowed India to capture Goa. Then immediately President Kennedy of USA insulted Nehru in such a way that Nehru was shocked, said Kennedy: “ You are not a trustworthy, you claim to be the champion of Non - Violence by preaching the doctrine of Non-Violence to the World but when your turn comes you cunningly go against your own doctrine of course shamelessly. It looks to me that your action on Goa is like that of the most holy Pastor who was caught when he was coming out of the Brothel while putting the buttons of his Pant”. Such an insult was never received in his life time by Nehru when otherwise he was considered a great lover and promoter of Peace in the World thru the practice of Non Violence.
Coming back to the Goan soccer, those older Goan football fans who have seen two mighty footballers of Goa namely Visitacao Lobo and Albino Fernandes donning the colours of the then mighty Sesa Goa along with whom I too played my professional soccer for a short period for Sesa Goa about 50 years back but for some valid reasons both Albino and Visitacao left Sesa Goa and joined Slagaocar, another mighty outfit of Goa, of that era. When due to their absence Sesa Goa’s attack found wanting in creating the required dent into their opponents citadel, one of the top management personnel (a German) of Sesa Goa Company, called a meeting with his other personnel involved in running the affairs of their soccer team and finally that German guy who otherwise was an expert in the field of soccer in Germany, made a remark saying, “It is our mistake first of all to allow both the ace footballers Albino and Visitacao to leave Sesa Goa. We should have listened to their grievances first, sort out our differences amicably and as far as possible we should have made them happy by agreeing to fulfill some of their demands because we should not lose them. After such players their team managements spend so much to help them to attain their peak and to leave them then after is like committing a suicide. Hence, call them back, listened to their grievances and rectify”. Then both of them rejoined Sesa Goa.
The players of FC Goa namely Mandar, Fall and Boumous not ordinary footballers but they were the Jewels in the team of FC Goa and as such they are not easy to replace. Rock like defender Fall is very reliable on the ground as well as in the aerial duels going higher and higher for heading like an Olympian high jumper while Boumous a midfield maestro knows how to maneuver his ways by dodging even 3 opponents and our home grown Mandar is ripened so well that he is capable to play in any position very satisfactorily. His ball control and running were very good. If these three and some more who are leaving and joining other teams, FC Goa will be very much weakened. For these FC Goa giants there are no equivalent in India, replacements may be but equivalents are impossible. In their absence the interest in FC Goa will be diminished and in all likelihood the image of Goan soccer will go down. It may be the intention of FC GOA team management but deffinetely not of any genuine Goan.
A.Veronica Fernandes.