BOYCOTT GOAN POLITICIANS.

Boycott Goan Politicians.

This morning as I was proceeding to office in a bus, all of a sudden I found myself uttering the famous rhyme, Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are, up above the world so high, twinkling like a diamond in the sky, and the Filipino sitting next to me burst out laughing, asked me, man are you going to a kinder garden or office ? This put me in a rather embarrassing position, thank God there were just a few of us in the bus and no ladies around.

I was fascinated by the stars right from my childhood and this rhyme, in a way was my connection with them, in fact this was the very first rhyme I taught my kids and now I am a grandfather, but till today I often recite the old rhyme unknowingly, mostly when I am alone, at home or walking or sitting by the sea or admiring the beauty of nature, it just pops out of my mouth without me making any effort.

Yes ! we are all fascinated by the stars, up in the sky or on earth, we often try to reach out to them or emulate them, most of the youngsters today want to be like one of the top film stars, sportspersons or wealthy business man, but seldom do we like to be a social worker like Bapuji or work for the destitute like Mother Theresa and others like them, why, may I ask ? Are they not the shining stars ? The truth is there for all to see, the glitter of the film stars and the sportspersons dwindles and disappears after a period of time, but the glitter of the true stars like Bapuji and Mother Theresa is everlasting and these are the stars that we should emulate.

It is tradition that for any occasion, we invite chief guests and guests of honour, mostly they are stars in films, sports or politics. People invited to be chief guests or guests of honour by default should be role models with an impeccable persona. But unfortunately that is not what we do, today we invite our bloody politicians to do the honours knowing that they are the worst possible role models that we could ever display. What message are we trying to convey to the future and the budding generations ? Is it okay to loot, rob, rape, murder and to be involved with all the drug lords, scams, pimps and gangsters ? Is this what we want flashing before their innocent eyes ?

It is beyond my imagination, inspite of all that we hear and know about our Goan politicians and their corrupt practices, we still run hitter and thither to invite and honour them. Does it make any sense that activists and social workers in Goa and abroad are crying for their blood and some of us want to honour them, it’s disgusting, in fact pigs in the muck would be better company, than to sit with these stinking reptiles.

Even here in the Gulf, some people go out of the way to invite these skunks, all expenses paid, run around them like Man Fridays awaiting their master’s commands. Why and for what ? Do we work for them ? Do they pay our bills ? Do they support our families ? Remember my dear Goans, we have elected these damn skunks and it is we who put them in power, to work for the common good of Goa and Goans, and not for themselves.

What good have our politicians done for the Aam Aadmi and for Goa ? Ever since we elected them to power they have been sodomising and destroying the natural beauty of Goa and selling Goa to the highest bidder, thereby inflating their own fortunes and their bank accounts, least interested in the welfare of Goa and Goans, and their simmering greed will never ever dissipate or be quenched. So why are we honouring these monkeys ?

I make a fervent request to all the committees, organisations and welfare groups, in Goa and outside Goa please do not promote these corrupt Goan politicians, who are responsible for the rape and destruction of our beloved Goa. Put a blanket ban on Goan politicians, boycott all their functions and those they are present, as a sign of protest, a sign of solidarity with Goa and Goans. If we keep on honouring our corrupt politicians, we are only encouraging them to do what they do best, which is worst for Goa and Goans.Yes ! Intrinsically we should love our true stars, invite them to be our role models and emulate them but surely not our neo-rich corrupt Goan political “glitterati”.

Freddy Agnelo Fernandes,
Dubai - UAE

Can Churchill Bros break the jinx...???

:::Goa's top team to play in Kuwait on 28/04/2010:::
By Gasper Crasto

Kuwait: Kuwait has their pride and prestige at stake to prove their superiority in football over Indians when defending champions Kuwait Sports Club trained by Brazilian coach Arthur Berinandes take on India’s Churchill Brothers in their return leg home game of the AFC Cup 2010 on 28th April 7.30pm.

Kuwait SC stadium, Kaifan, Kuwait City (Near City Centre, Shuwaikh)
The first leg between Kuwait SC and Churchill Bros played in Goa, a former Portuguese colony in India, was a 2-2 draw. Both teams have already qualified for the next round of 16.

The match to be played at Kuwait SC stadium, Kaifan, Kuwait City, will be very interesting for the Indian spectators, particularly the large number of football crazy Goans working here.

Churchill Brothers is one of India’s top teams and the only family sports club in India having a large number of supporters. The patron of the club Shri Churchill Alemao, a politician with Congress government, is expected to attend the game. A number of top Indian clubs such as East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Dempo, etc, have played in Kuwait but haven’t won a single match against the physically strong Kuwaiti clubs.

Throughout the season, Churchill have almost always played the same players when they have been available. Coach Carlos Pereira seems to be bent on having his best men finish the job for him. Churchill have arguably the best defensive lineup in India currently with Arindam at goal, Naoba, Gouramangi, Rowilson and Robert playing in defence.
India's highest paid player Odafa to play

India’s highest paid player Odafa Okolie (No. 10) will most likely pair up with Felix upfront, the two have a great chemistry. The Nigerian Odafa has given sleepless nights to opponents over the last couple of seasons and is currently the highest scorer in the ongoing I-League in India. When he strikes, Churchill Brothers have a higher chance to win. Currently though, Churchill trail behind in the Indian League in fourth place. Ironically, the Goan side has only one Goan player featuring in the playing elevens – Nascimento Silveira.
Kuwait SC’s major game on their home ground has been their 0-4 loss in a friendly to Brazil in 2006. They won the last AFC Cup 2009 final played on this ground last November was won beating Syria’s Al Karamah 2-1 playing in front of a capacity crowd.

AFC Cup & AFC Champions League

The AFC Cup is played between clubs from nations who are members of the Asian Football Confederation. A total of 32 clubs qualified to participate in the 2010 AFC Cup. Different teams from elite Asian countries have been given a chance to take part in the competition.

In recent years, the UEFA Champions League and European ‘soccer’ is more famous than Asian ‘football’. Apart from the AFC Cup, there is also the AFC Champions League in Asian football.

The AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted by Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The tournament is contested among the top 30 clubs from top 10 Asian leagues joined with 2 more clubs who qualify through the playoffs. The champions receive about US$2.25 million in prize money and most importantly a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup at the end of the year.

This competition started as the Asian Champion Club Tournament back in 1967.

Each country receives up to 4 slots, though no more than one third of the number of teams in that country's top division, rounded downwards, depending on the strength of their league, league structure (professionalism), marketability, financial status, and other criteria set out by the AFC Pro-League committee.

The assessment criteria and ranking for participating associations is revised by AFC every two years. This year, Kuwait SC failed to fulfill the criteria to qualify and were left to play in the AFC Cup. West Asian countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Iran and Uzbekistan and East Asian Countries such as Japan, Korea, China, Australia whose leagues are the most lucrative among Asian countries automatically have their top teams playing in the Asian Champions League.

Dempo SC lost the qualifying play-off final to Sharjah FC in 2009 and thus missed out to become the first Indian team to participate in the Asian Champions League. Japan’s Pohang Steelers were the eventual winners beating Al-Itihad of Saudi Arabia 2-1 in the final played at Tokyo last November.

The winners of the Asian Champions League qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup. Barcelona won the last World Cup championship beating Argentina’s Estudiantes 2-1 in the final played at Qatar in December 2009.