With four clubs in the I-League, it's all happening in Goa!Goan outfit Dempo Sports Club's entry into the AFC Cup semi-final, the first-ever for an Indian club, has shifted focus onto the former Portuguese colony, which has emerged as the football hub of the country.
So what makes the small state rave about its success on the football field? If the Indian National League - the I-League - is the benchmark for success then Goa, with four I-League clubs, is leading the way along with the Eastern state of West Bengal, which also has four clubs in the 12-team league.
Goa Football Association (GFA) secretary Savio Messais feels that Goa has replaced Kolkata as the soccer capital of the country.
“The soccer capital has shifted to Goa not only because of the four I-League clubs but for many other reasons,'' he said. ''There is a greater success rate at nationals, better administration, production of good players, coaches, referees and also a better infrastructure.
“There is great passion for football in Goa, and the encouragement from the GFA for clubs which helps them grow has been the secret behind of so many Goan clubs featuring in the I-League.''
But then the I-League’s common complaint has been the concentration of the 12 clubs in just four states - Goa, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Punjab. Kolkata and Goa also has four I-Leagues clubs, Mumbai has three and that means only one club outside the three states of Goa, West Bengal and Maharashtra.
That does not augur well for Indian football in terms of crowd interest – there are no teams from the southern states of Kerala and Karnataka and only one team from north - JCT.
Messais has a solution to the problem: “One should not try to kill the goose which lays the golden egg. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) should take a leaf out of the Japanese Federation's book and build up teams in other states. The I-League is 12 years old and it has been the same old story. You may reduce the teams or increase the teams, it will be the same states having representation. In Japan the federation formed a J League club in an area where no football was played and only farmers existed.”
And he agrees with national coach Bob Hougton's suggestion of increasing the number of teams in the I-League.
“Yes, we needed more teams many years ago because you had a greater pool of players available. In a huge country like ours what can we achieve by having just 8 or 10 clubs? Out of the 88 to 110 players, 24 to 30 are foreigners. If only 60 to 80 players get exposure, do you think we can progress?''
But that is the not the only grey area where Indian football administrators have to address themselves and the GFA is ready to help the AIFF.
“If our suggestions are sought we are ready to suggest and help other states grow, but basically other state associations should first get their house in order. The AIFF need to be tough with these associations,'' added Messais. ''A few states in India did not even have an association for many years, like Andhra Pradesh and now Rajasthan. Can these states even dream of having a team in the I-League?''
The GFA raised a few eyebrows and ruffled a few feathers within the Bandodkar family when they proposed to auction the cup. Messais explained: “We felt that the Bandodkar tournament could never be organized again due to the changing scenario in India. We could not organize this tournament for the last 15 or more years and we would never be able to have it again.
''We are finding it very difficult to organize the Governor Cup and the Police Cup, which are knockout tournaments for Goan teams only. Hence, rather than keep the trophy in the bank locker, we suggested that we set up an academy and name it after the Bandodkar family. It was only a suggestion but we need to brainstorm and look at other ideas too.”
The GFA are upbeat at the progress of the state and are not resting on past laurels. They plan to set up an academy in either Mapusa or Fatorda, presently it has a tie-up for youth development and other related projects with the University of Porto, the Portuguese Olympic Association and FC Porto, and soon will have a protocol with Leicester City.
The tie-ups have so far benefitted around 200 coaches and players and the state players and coaches have benefitted in many areas, such as coach education, training of players in Portugal, youth team visits to Portugal, restructuring of the youth tournaments and calendar.
Sorce:Sportlingo.com
