Panjim: Goa football fans expressed big shock and resentment at the big 14-0 victory that Dempo recorded against Air India in an I-League match at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Monday.
“Disgrace for Indian football. It’s like match-fixing. It is unethical that for the first time in Indian Premier League such a score has been recorded first of alll,” stated a South Goa club official, who preferred to be anonymous.
“Everyone knew that with Salgaocar and Dempo equal on head-to-head count should the points be equal, the goal difference would come into play if Salgaocar had to lose today against JCT. So, Dempo registered the highest tally, ironically a record of sorts. Was it pre-determined? Is there corruption also in sports?”, remarked a football fan. These are just doubts, but coming at this critical stage when the final placements are to be decided, these get a different connotation. And hence it becomes a very serious issue.
With news that Salgaocar had already talked to two JCT players as was admitted by JCT’s coach much before the final match and subsequent denial by Salgaocar that they had not signed the players, the trend looks unfair and totally unethical, another club member pointed out.
The news that four Sesa Football Academy defenders were also contacted by Salgaocar when they were selected for the Goa football team for Santosh Nationals which failed to qualify for the semi-finals, has also been termed as unsporting as well as unethical.
Sesa’s coach Clifford was furious that his players had confided in him that Salgaocar had indeed contacted them and that the players had agreed to switch from Sesa.
“Initially, there were rumours that our players were going for Salgaocar. I did not believe in these, as the players had gone for practice matches against the Goa XI team. However, when they were selected, the rumours got confirmed and I was angry,” added Clifford who said that he had confronted the players in question and that the later had admitted to the move.
Then there were rumours doing the rounds in Margao that a club was trying to lure a player of an opposing team with an offer of Rs one and half lakh if the player agreed to commit a serious infringment in the penalty or goal area, leading to award of penalty. The authenticity, however, has to be verified.
“Disgrace for Indian football. It’s like match-fixing. It is unethical that for the first time in Indian Premier League such a score has been recorded first of alll,” stated a South Goa club official, who preferred to be anonymous.
“Everyone knew that with Salgaocar and Dempo equal on head-to-head count should the points be equal, the goal difference would come into play if Salgaocar had to lose today against JCT. So, Dempo registered the highest tally, ironically a record of sorts. Was it pre-determined? Is there corruption also in sports?”, remarked a football fan. These are just doubts, but coming at this critical stage when the final placements are to be decided, these get a different connotation. And hence it becomes a very serious issue.
With news that Salgaocar had already talked to two JCT players as was admitted by JCT’s coach much before the final match and subsequent denial by Salgaocar that they had not signed the players, the trend looks unfair and totally unethical, another club member pointed out.
The news that four Sesa Football Academy defenders were also contacted by Salgaocar when they were selected for the Goa football team for Santosh Nationals which failed to qualify for the semi-finals, has also been termed as unsporting as well as unethical.
Sesa’s coach Clifford was furious that his players had confided in him that Salgaocar had indeed contacted them and that the players had agreed to switch from Sesa.
“Initially, there were rumours that our players were going for Salgaocar. I did not believe in these, as the players had gone for practice matches against the Goa XI team. However, when they were selected, the rumours got confirmed and I was angry,” added Clifford who said that he had confronted the players in question and that the later had admitted to the move.
Then there were rumours doing the rounds in Margao that a club was trying to lure a player of an opposing team with an offer of Rs one and half lakh if the player agreed to commit a serious infringment in the penalty or goal area, leading to award of penalty. The authenticity, however, has to be verified.
