GOAN FOOTBALL – IN GOA & KUWAIT….. II

In 1930’s at Burgan, Oil findings was noticed by the British but because of the World Wars I & II, no exploration was done. The Oil exploration finally went into action after the end of II World War. Because of Oil exploration, commercial activities in Kuwait increased especially at a place called Ahmadi where all the Oil companies started its operations. To do these activities, manpower requirements came about and due to this lot of vacancies were created. To fill these vacancies of different categories, many young Goans were recruited from Goa and Bombay. This was in early fifties whence Goans started pouring in Kuwait, those coming directly from Goa came to Kuwait with Portuguese Passports while those coming from Bombay came to Kuwait with Bharati Passports. When both categories of Goans landed in Kuwait, some created disputes amongst them. Many of the Goans holding Bharati Passports called Portuguese Passport holder Goans as “Chamchas” of Portugal while those Goans holding Portuguese Passports dubbed Bharati Passport holder Goans as “Ghantti” Goans. Antonio Mario Fernandes from Candolim an employee of KOC as Auto Electrician, was like a leader of Portuguese Passport holder Goans. He was very daring, very knowledgeable, very well read and highly literate. He was pro-Portuguese and Pro-Goa for Goans. He once gathered some like minded Goans and hoisted the Portuguese Flag in KOC Compound at Ahmadi in front of their residential area on the National Day of Portugal which coincides with the birthday of the great Portuguese Poet Luis de Camoes and rendered Portuguese National Anthem “Herois do Mar”. This was somewhere in 1958. This news finally became an instant hit not only in Kuwait but also in India, Goa and Portugal. When Salazar got this news in Portugal thru British Foreign Office, he sent special message to Portuguese Governador of Goa to contact Antonio’s people at his Candolim Pintos Vaddo home. When Portuguese Pakles with their top military escorts came to their place in Candolim with the message of Salazar, that day the whole village vibrated but only the Bamons and Bhattkars became jealous because Antonio known in Candolim as Lapitt Anton was a commoner.

The number of Goans coming to Kuwait swelled in early sixties. Many amongst these Goans were highly talented footballers. Two names immediately come to my mind are those of Alexinho from Calangute Khobravaddo and Stanley from Siolim, near the girls Convent. Stanley as a student of Guirim School where he excelled in football joined Goa’s Bemfica and even played for Goa XI during Portuguese time. While Alexinho was much more admired in Goa and Bombay as well for Young Goans. Both these players played in Ahmadi for and against Europeans. Alexinho is the father of ex Dempo’s goalkeeper Domnick. Both Alexinho and Stanley died in Goa a few years back. Alexinho because of his high level soccer skill even had an offer to go to England to play there, this offer was given to him by his British boss but because of his certain deficiencies he refused to accept this beautiful offer. Otherwise, he would be the first Goan and first Indian to play in England and not Baichung Bhutia. Stanley had strong power in his legs. Once, at Ahmadi ground after scoring a beautiful goal against Hubara Club comprising Europeans, with a powerful shot, some Britishers after the game came to him, lowered his socks and with admiration started caressing and checking his leg thru which he socred that memorable goal. After Britishers, Goans were number one foot-ballers in Kuwait during those days in late fifties and sixties and in fact they were acknowledged as such, as well, by all.

The next wave of Goans entering in Kuwait was in mid seventies after the Oil Boom following the Arab – Israeli War in early seventies leading to the increase in Oil Price worldwide. Because of this, money power of Gulf countries increased tremendously making these countries go for development of their infrastructure and increase in commercial activities. Majority of these Goans who came to Kuwait during this time were young like me and skilful in many activities mainly in soccer. Overwhelming majority of them concentrated in and around Kuwait city only. For recreation many of them started playing soccer behind the Church area. Suddenly and very appropriately it dawned on somebody amongst them to form a foot-ball club and start a competitive tournament for Goans. Diogo Gomes from Bastora, Custodio from Navelim, Moses from Candolim (Young Menezes’ Son), F. X. D’Souza from Assagao, Alcantra Barreto ex Salgaocars, one Mr. Benny a Bombay Goan and many others were regularly congregating on Fridays to play friendly soccer behind the Church area and to be there. While playing they were also discussing the initiating of a tournament. In this talk they were also ably supported by Tony Gonsalves from Divar, Joe Fernandes from Colva and many others. In the beginning it was like a dream but gradually it turned out to be a reality. I realized that it will turn out to be a reality because of the association in this group of one smart Goan young boy of that time, Mr. F. X. Joe D’Souza from Assagao who had exceptionally high calibre in organizing sports activities in his village back home before coming to Kuwait. None in that group were as talented in organising sporting events as he was. He was my colleague at St. Xaviers College, Mapusa, he studied up to MSc when his other colleagues were not even shade of his educational background, some of them not even knew what MSc is, that was the quality of many of the Goans in Kuwait at that time. He used to organize in his village Assagao high caliber sports activities with the participation of top Goan sportsmen, he had very good knowledge of sports administration, he himself was a very good sportsman during his youth, he played with me for St. Xaviers College soccer team, he was a fine athlete at All Goa level and a champion Pole Vaulter. He was a decent boy with high discipline and high moral character while many of his colleagues lacked many of his attributes. They were intellectually bankrupt.

In order to highlight their efforts and to promote our football, I interviewed their the then president Tony Fernandes in the presence of some of their club members and published it in Goan Weekly "Goycho Mog". It became an instant hit, even those semi-educated in English who were feeling shy to read Konkani also read it with much interest and thru this writing of mine the publicity and popularity of our tournament reached to the zenith.

Alcantra Barreto was a great Goan footballer, representing GOA XI from 1964 and a regular member of Goa XI for Santosh Trophy, a year before his coming to Kuwait he even captained GOA XI in the Santosh Trophy. Custodio from Navelim was during his youth was a very good player, Tony Gonsalves was a good player during his youth while Diogo Gomes was a great lover of soccer, so too Moses Menezes, Joe Fernandes, and others. But one thing was certain in all of them that they were mad lovers of soccer, they ate soccer, they drank soccer, they talked soccer, they sang soccer and they inhaled soccer. Only because of this quality they managed to initiate our first ever competitive soccer tournament in Kuwait in 1979 not only for Goans but for all Indians residing in Kuwait, under United Goans Centre, the Club they formed a year prior to the inaugural tournament in 1979 summer, the year I got married in Kuwait on 20th September with my long time prettiest girlfriend Fatima from Calangute. The inaugural tournament (and all subsequents) was League-cum- knock-out tournament which finally won by Goan Sporting, not only for that year but even the next year successively. Unfortunately, both the finals were played at Ahmadi because both the Tonys lacked marbles to defy their fake opponents in holding the finals at Sour Grounds. Both the Tonys and their equally guilty colleagues in UG had marbles only to unnecessarily suspend G.O.A. Maroons and create discord amongst Goans. Their motto was to demolish powerful G.O.A. Maroons from Sour Grounds but it did not happen. The cunning trick of one of the Tony’s in this direction failed to work though the plan was nicely devised. It is said in Konkani “Bamnani Kaddlolo Voi Pun Vaddlolo Nhoi”.

G.O.A. Maroons since its inception in 1980 is a powerhouse while UG under Tony Gonsalves started tottering when most of its former associates deserted him and his UG. And with the leadership of a Bebdo who was involved in robbing KIFF funds, nothing good will come. This bloody Bebdo after the liberation of Kuwait at Sour Grounds one day was threathening me with dire consequences for my organising a movement in Goa under "Goa-Kuwait Solidarity Center" during the invasion of Kuwait in support of the liberation of Kuwait. Infact not only he, even not a single colleague of his in Sour soccer Administration supported us openly in our movement in Goa during the invasion time of Kuwait. They were acting like enemies of Kuwait. These rascals want Kuwait only to earn Dinars but not to support Kuwait during its critical time. They are enemies of Kuwait. Not supporting is one thing but opposing me for supporting Kuwait is the worst crime. If it is not for Kuwait they would rot in Goa. Who cares for such idiots in Goa? What is their calibre in Goa? What is their knowledge of soccer to be somebody in Goan soccer in Goa? It looks all the rats will desert the sinking ship and only the Bebdo will remain with his Battli to destroy what we built thru our hard work in the past in which my efforts must take precedence over those of many others. Incidentally, none in the present set- up of the organisers of our Soccer at Sour Grounds was existing then, though some of them were existing in Kuwait but hiding under the petticoats of their wives, mothers, girlfriends or concubines or dipped into the "Battli". Some of those who are boasting of their presence then in Kuwait were in no way party to our efforts in the promotion of our soccer at Sour Grounds. They were not existing for us then because they were living in Kuwait as non-entities, unknown, unheard and unseen in public life.

To be concluded.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

Re: Goan Football

From: AAssoc4994@aol.com
To: goancauses@yahoogroups.com
CC: averonicaf806@hotmail.com

Veronica:

My memory tells me, fllodlight game was also played in Margao and Independente has seven pacles from Tropa Rawanfond, Margao. I used to catch hand of paclo to make my way in without bilhete.

Clube Independente de Margao was financed by Goan Hindu shop keepers. Then, I was a young boy, we'were all young then, I grew up in Magao. In konkani, we used to say "Independi club" located behind Cine Lata Margao. All shops shutters went down at 3PM, when "Independi club" played in Margao.

Vimson(Salgaoncar), Velha de Goa, Ferroviarios( Benjamin goalie), Academica, Independente, Policia de Goa, Santa Ines, were great clubs, great standards. All credit goes to Goa Portuguesa.

Go to goancauses.com paste this http://www.goancauses.com/gallery/2.html you will see pictures of following players of Independente courtesy of Menino Figueredo de Carmona, not Cuncolim:

Fenelon D' Souza, Jackson, Francis, Rock Cruz, Menino Figueredo, Vetto, Amrut Verenkar, Mendes, Basto, Alisab Sadekar, Ravi, etc.

I've no idea where all these players are gone. I know poor Vasu Raiturcar passed away.

Menino Figueredo is still living, once he was very sick, in that sickness he lost his hearing, last I saw Menino in 2003 in Carmona at Jules Alberto wedding, I made efforts to see Menino in person, because Menino could not make for Jules wedding.

You're a great asset for Goan Portuguesa football.

Thanks.

Mog Assom

Agnelo Gomes
USA