This is in reference to the news in the local Press 2 days back showing
Minister Michael Lobo indicating his pompousness of inaugurating in his Calangute
Constituency the Statue of the current
World renown Portuguese foot-baller Christiano Ronaldo.
No doubt, it was a nice gesture to erect this Statue of the World
renowned foot-baller Ronaldo so that our young footballers get some inspiration
from Ronaldo and emulate his feat thereby creating innumerable Ronaldos in Goa.
This will never happen in India in general and in Goa in particular where the
tin pot politicians involving in the local politics also shamelessly involve in
organizing soccer activities. In Goa politics
is the bread and butter of politicians and thru which they accumulate illicit
wealth and innumerable Concubines and still moving in society shamelessly as if
they are saintly pople,
However, I feel it would be much better instead of Ronaldo’s Monument, Eusebio’s
Monument was erected since Eusebio was far better foot-baller than
Ronaldo. This I can say with concrete
evidence that following the final blow by the match umpire of the qualifying encounter
between Portugal and Brazil in the 1966 World Cup where Brazil following their
defeat from Eusebio’s Portugal, while Pele exchanging his Jersey with Eusebio
remarked saying “now you are the Pele” – the best ever footballer of this
planet.
Instead of a foreigner’s Monument why not the Monument of our own local
Calangutcar Goan, highly talented Bruno Coutinho’s statue was erected for our
future generations to know that such a class of footballer was there in
Calangute, Goa, to emulate him. Or still
better it would be if the statue of another the then renown foot-baller from
Calangute - Naikavaddo, Eustacio by name, playing for the then mighty
Salgaocars. Even after so many years of his retirement and death not only
Calangute but even India failed to produce such magnificent Corner Kicks exponent
that will go straight into the opponents goal thereby fooling some of the best
keepers even during the colonial rule. Or even any other great Goan footballer
of yesteryears. Would not fit this
honour to the greatest footballer of Goa from Assagao Bardez Goa, Neville D’Souza?
The other news is that of Michael Lobo’s anger on the leadership of BJP
for ignoring him. This is the prize he
is getting from the BJP for helping BJP to form the government, as informed, following the last election, in a rude manner
by depriving the right party to form the government. He is after his wife to brighten her chances
to contest the election in Siolim but I don’t know on what basis he is pushing
his wife in Siolim from Parra and what
her plus points that merit her candidature in Siolim. Instead, it would be
better if he withdraws in her favour in Calangute. Otherwise, while both husband and wife keep
themselves busy in their campaign they may both
be the losers as people are expecting.
A.Veronica Fernandes.
