There is an impression in Goa that the football activities we do in Kuwait are of excellent standard. Actually it is not a big thing because it is done within our own circle beyond the gaze and supervision of the locals and also beyond the jurisdiction of the local authority. Our foot-ball is peanuts compared to the football the locals play. Our football is not even recognized by the local authorities but because of the noise we make among ourselves of our soccer activities it gives an impression to the innocent and ignorant people that we are better than EURO Cup.
The Goan Club known as United Goans Football Center and popularly known as UG initiated our soccer activities in 1979 by organizing a soccer tournament for Indians only on League cum knock out basis. Since then our football activities among us developed and flourished. UG is still surviving, they have their own football team and they organize annually their knock out tournament. UG at the moment is the oldest club in Indian soccer activities still surviving thanks to the tireless efforts of Tony Gonsaves and his team.
In Kuwait under Kuwait Indian Football Federation one tournament is running in memory of the late JP D’Mello. JP a Goan from Socorro, Porvorim was the first Goan International Referee and when he came to work in Kuwait he was introduced to our soccer by UG and because of UG we got JP in Kuwait as a guide and mentor for our soccer activities. Even without JP we would surely run our soccer activities as we did before his arrival in Kuwait but without UG’s initiative we would never have our soccer activities and we would never know JP either. In this respect the initiative of UG is laudable and due recognition to UG must be accorded. As a Goan club I am proud of UG’s initiative.
Now the next season of Indian soccer where Goans are in majority is going to begin shortly. Almost every club and every team stalwart is trying to get the services of best of Indian footballers by paying some Dinars for the players of their choice. Some paying these Dinars from the Kitty of their clubs while others from their own pockets. But why such expenses? Is it purely for the love of foot-ball or for ulterior motive or for personal pomp?
It is not for the love of soccer but mainly for the self-promotion either of individuals or of Clubs or of Teams. If you carefully analyse the psychology of our people mainly of Goans, they are suffering from ancestral inferiority complex which is inborn in their blood because of their hollow background. Back at home before coming to Kuwait due to their backwardness they were denied previlleges of elite who rejected them outright because among elite there are more smart people. Hence, in Kuwait since many of our people are like one eyed persons among the blinds they make hey while sun shines to promote them and that too cheaply.
Many of our people involved in such activities want adoration and recognition in society which they miss back at home but easily get in Kuwait by involving in soccer activities mainly as presidents or chairmen of the clubs or office bearers. Otherwise, overwhelming majority of the presidents of our clubs and other stalwarts are not even fit to run the clubs of their Vaddos back at home.
Take for example, the “NAL” of Nagoa was unknown entity in the community but the moment he got involved in one Club thru my push he feels he is heading Real Madrid or Barcelona and to remain in this position he is spending money from his own pocket. (Later on he betrayed me with a Judas Kiss is another matter). In fact by doing this he is purchasing recognition in society, which society? Idiots’ society because he himself is an IDIOT Number One, intellectually bankrupt and educationally illiterate. Such Goan “NAL” is plenty among us and their number is annually increasing because the rot is become more in our midst.
This Nagoa “Nal” is so arrogant and so proud that he feels everything best in life among Goans he alone should possess because according to his logic he is superior to others. He feels he is too smart but for me and persons of my ilk he is an Idiot of first grade. I pity him for his prideful ignorance.
Recently I attended one Final of our soccer. At the time of introducing the Chief Guest to the players, some names were called out to accompany the Chief Guest. Unfortunately for me my name too was called. When I refused to be a part of this cheap “tamasha” one president of one Goan club whose name was also called and who was sitting next to me said “Veronica, come on, join us because such opportunity we will never get in Goa”. From here you see the backwardness and cheapness of our people. They only want prominence and that too cheap prominence. All such persons are sons or grandsons of Goan Ladrus & Pedrus. Because they are in Kuwait they got girls to marry otherwise ……..??
I pity them.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
