Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Sports Minister Govind Gaude kicked off the first GFDC Football Summit, 2024, on Wednesday and called on stakeholders of the beautiful game to come together to give concrete solutions to the government to help motivate interest towards the state sport.
Addressing the inaugural of the GFDC Football Summit that got underway in Goa today, Gaude said there were only two means of bringing glory to the state either through sport or cultural and artistic performances, both of which he controls.
“Footballers have made immense effort to promote football. At one time when there was no infrastructure the great men who represented India played on rough grounds bare feet. But today I think, at least in the field of football, the government, the private sector, the NGOs and the academics, have given enough infrastructure in the field of football. The only thing lacking is the passion or indeed the motivation we need to give to the young football talents,” Gaude said.
“We need to give them motivation, we need to give them a platform. That is why today’s summit is organised by the GFA and GFDC. Unless and until we debate and discuss from people who have given the best in the field of football… Expertise is very important, there are so many professional clubs and amateur clubs. But we need to promote and give some support. That is why the government is keen to support not only football but every discipline. It is our prime duty,” he added.
“My only appeal to each Goan and to the prominent clubs. Most of the clubs expect a lot of things from the government. But unless and until you give the performance or you show the results it is very difficult for the government to support in all angles,” Gaude also said.
Chairman of the Summit and Margao MLA, Digambar Kamat also assured that the Goa government would do everything that the panel drafts in its final list of recommendations.
“We all know that football is dear to all of us. Goa was considered among the top three states in the country in football. I have been witness to many matches during my college days. With any trophy or any championship and Goa Kerala, Bengal were the three states which ruled football during those days. Lately, we have seen that something is going wrong, something which we expected is not happening, in spite of all the support, all the criteria being adopted by the government,” Kamat said.
“This summit is aimed at a particular target. The target is for you to interact with all the sections and all the stakeholders who are part of football. Who at heart wants football to come up and who is going to come up with serious commendations?
“I am sure the sports minister and the CM will give support to the recommendations which will be placed before. We will see how best these recommendations can be implemented.
I ask that you give your recommendations with open hearts about what Goa should do to retain its glory at the national level,” he said.
At the summit, the topics discussed were football coaching, professional clubs, amateur clubs, players’ perspective, inter-village football, grassroots youth football and academies, infrastructure, marketing sponsorship and fan engagement.
Also present were Dr Geeta S. Nagvenkar, Member Secretary, GFDC; Goa Football Association (GFA) President Dr Caitano Fernandes; Padma Shree and Arjuna Awardee, Brahmanand Sankhwalkar and President Awes, Derrick Perreira.
