Where Esperanto failed, the game of foot-ball succeeded. In the recently concluded ISL soccer tournament Goans forgot their differences and followed with deep reverence the game of soccer unitedly with the slogan “FORCA GOA”. Every Goan understood the other Goan thru soccer.
The greatest achievement of ISL in Goa was the sense of oneness it created into the minds and hearts of the Goans. The loss of FC Goa no doubt was a shocking but credit must go to Chennai for inflicting this loss on Goa by playing the right mode of soccer at the right time. A team leading by one goal till 2 minutes before the final whistle cannot hold its opponents for 2 minutes only has no right to win the match. As a footballer of caliber during my younger days I suggest FC Goa team members, management, followers and fans to accept this otherwise unacceptable defeat sportingly.
FC Goa lacked dependable defense since Lucio and Gragory lacked their previous physical efficiency and mental alertness. FC Goa also lacked a midfield maestro to orchestrate all the moves cleverly and in the forward line FC Goa lacked a first time finishers specially from the box. Keeping the ball on one’s feet for longer period is a big mistake our forwards committed instead of releasing the powerful footer in Portuguese Eusebian style.
As pointed out by Zico, allowing only six Indian players to represent each team is a mistake because it does not help the promotion of local talent instead it shadows local talent from developing. In Italy in the Seria A division only 2 foreign players are allowed per team. This was done by Italian soccer authority to give impetus to the local soccer talent in greater number.
The last fiasco between Elano and Salgaocar was a black mark on the otherwise successfully organized this year’s edition. I don’t say Elano was innocent but in the absence of his version of what provoked him to act thus, I am unable to inflict the whole blame on him. Since a long time now that I am watching him on the field, he looks to be a decent man unlikely to act rough. By listening to one side of the story only and blaming him is not correct though what he did was wrong.
A.Veronica Fernandes,
Candolim, Goa.
Tel:7507394349.