Candolim was called the cradle of beautiful soccer about a hundred years back when it produced some of the finest players, two of them are still in my
mind, namely the gigantic forward Dioginho Vaz from Pintos Vaddo and the other
Luciano from Dando, a powerful defender.
Candolim is yet to produce such greats. The elders never received the
sophisticated training and yet they played sophisticated soccer with sophisticated foot-work and artistry. Those elders did not develop their soccer
skill in any football academy nor under the majestic Coaches like Cesar Mennoti from Argentina who helped Argentina to win the World Cup for the first time or Germany's mighty Franz Backenbeur but they developed on their own. However, now we
are having in Candolim a Foot-ball Academy which is newly established with the
best of newly done foot-ball ground by the local
Panchayat by spending a huge amount of money.
Dr. Gustavo Monteiro Stadium
Ricardo Cardoso is the son of Eugeno Cardoso once an ace Candolim
goalkeeper who also donned the colours of Dempo Sports Club and Goa XI too and who
following the footsteps of his father inherited the best of soccer skills of his
father who also was a custodian; in this capacity Ricardo donned the colours of
Culcutta’s giants Mohun Bhagan, Goa’s mighty Churchill Bros., Bengaluru and
etc. Leaving the Calcutta giants Mohun Bhagan this year, he came back to his
roots in Goa and initiated a new coaching programme known as “SUPER 30 SOCCER
SCHOOL” and started Football Academy where currently he is training in Candolim
for about 100 boys devided into 3 segments, namely: 1) 6 - 12 years; 2) 13 - 14 years; and 3) 15 -17 years.
Coaching in progress
There are about 6 coaches and assistant coaches including Physio Therapy
Doctor and they are all headed by the
Head Coach Ricardo Cardoso who has devised the new concept of training soccer
to young foot-ballers according to the modern soccer techniques.
Currently, the training is conducted thrice a week at Dr. Gustavo
Monteiro Stadium in Candolim in the evenings at 4.00 PM under the watchful eyes
of all the Trainers who give personal attention to every trainee with much
assistance and attention. These youngsters are taught all the basics required
to become stalwart in this game. Each
training session lasts 1.30 hour.
Training in progress
It is great to see so many mothers and fathers of young footballers joyfully
accompanying their young sons to the football ground in Candolim with much
interest in seeing their sons becoming good foot-ballers. With this interest in
the beautiful game of soccer even the unity among the villagers is increased,
thanks to this Academy and its initiator the son of Candolim Ricardo Cardoso.
Dr. Nikita Miranda - Physio
Ricardo Cardoso is now running this soccer camp in collaboration with the
local Panchayat and local MLA/Minister Michael Lobo. According to the
information, Sarpanch Fermino and ex Sarpanch Blazio along with Minister Michael
Lobo there is much interest generated into this Academy and its coaching
system. The head coach Ricardo Cardoso speaking to this writer indicated his
total satisfaction with both the Panchayat stalwarts and also with the Minister
Lobo for their enthusiasm they indicated in this coaching system.
Let us hope now that Candolim will produce great footballers as it has
done in the past.
A.Veronica Fernandes.
