Goemkarponn desk
VASCO: Sports Minister Govind Gaude on Monday evening said that coaches would soon be recruited in the Sports department and that he had been focusing more on the coaching section.
Gaude was speaking to reporters after inaugurating the Squash court complex at the SAG ground in Chicalim in the presence of Panchayats Minister Mauvin Godinho, Goa Association of Squash President Pankaj Joshi and others.
“I am more focussed on the coaching issue, and by the next three months, coaches will be recruited in the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs. We will start a good coaching system in Goa, and we will start with football, where we have invited Dutch professionals to train 30 football coaches, and this will start from 5th December. We will engage international coaches to train our coaches because we are lacking in the coaching department,” said Gaude.
Gaude said that he had a discussion with CM Dr Pramod Sawant, and it was announced that all sports infrastructure would be put to use.
“We will be giving it for training and practice for the local clubs or local provided that there is MOU signed with the village panchayat who will maintain it properly. We just cannot hand over ground to people because we have invested public money for its development, and we will sign an MOU with clubs or panchayat for its maintenance,” said Gaude.
Gaude said that he was upset that the Goan squash team was not sent to National Games.
“I cannot comment on why the Goan squash team was not sent for national games because it is an internal issue related to the association or a federation, but I am also upset because we have bright squash players, and we have executed a committee to enquire why this happened and what has gone wrong at last moment,” said Gaude.
Speaking on the Ravindra Bhavan issue, Gaude said that the main issue was the central AC for which the tender was floated, and the works would be awarded quickly.
“Once the work is done, all the Government offices presently located in Ravindra Bhavan temporarily would be relocated. Works on the AC will start in a month, and Ravindra Bhavan will then be fully functional for art and cultural activities,” said Gaude.
