FR. CHICO MEMORIAL SOCCER FESTIVAL IN CANDOLIM.

Trophies seen aboe.                                                     The once renowwned Goan fooballer - captain of India,, bramananda Sankwalkar as one of the guests of honour  gives prize to Candolim keeper. 
Bramananda himself was a keeper.



The band is seen above.                                          The winner Candolim with guests.



Seen above are some of the family members of          Seen above is compeer Xavier
Monteiros including Dr. Jose third from left.
 
                                                                                  Seen above are wo fooball legends,one                  Brahmananda the other is Cheddo from Candolim of whose type Candolim & Goa Police Teams are yet To produce ONE. He played for a long time for Goa Police starting from Portuguese time.. 


Brahmananda is seendelivering his speech.as a Guest of Honour.

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To mark the 100^th birthday of Pe. Chico Monteiro from Candolim, Bardez, Goa, a two day soccer festival was organized in Candolim at the Dr. Gustavo Monteiro Foot-ball Ground, by the Fr. Chico Memorial Trust consisting of Mr. Esmeralda Gomes – The Chairman, Mr. Valentino Rebello – The Treasurer, Dr. Gustavo Monteiro – The Secretary with the following Trustees:

Dr. Sidney Rosario Pinto,

Mr. Selvio Fernandes,

Dr. Jose Monteiro,

Prof. Oscar Noronha,

Prof. selza Lopes,

Dr. Sergio Martins.

This two day soccer festival held from 18 to 19^th of this month was the fitting tribute to the departed soul of Fr. Chico Monteiro who was once a great lover of the beautiful game of soccer.  He was also an exceptionally  talented soccer coach that coached the once mighty soccer team from Panjim, the Academica and the then Goa Champion Sesa Goa. Besides in Candolim he formed three teams namely BRAZIL, SANTOS AND APURBAI of different age groups.  He coached the boys and his teams on the Brazilian pattern in which he acquired the perfect aptitude and knowledge after personally watching the Brazilian soccer played by those great Brazilian foot-ballers of fifties and sixties namely Pele, Zagallo, Vava, Garinha and others.

The Candolim foot-ball ground was a gift of philanthropist Dr. Gustavo Monteiro the elder brother of Pe. Chico - to the Candolim Panchayat.  This ground was done somewhere in 1955 when Candolim was in dire need of nice soccer ground where early in the morning the Portuguese Pakles and Khapris from Aguada used to play soccer there before the unwarranted invasion of Goa by the Bharat Serkar without consulting the Goans.

This Ground has produced some of the finest players of Candolim who later on donned the colours of top Goan teams namely Sesa Goa, Salgaocar, Shantilal, Dempo, Vasco and others including outstation teams. In fact what Monteiro’s family has done for sports in Candolim especially for soccer, no one else in Candolim has done.  Dr. Gustavo Monteiro has been the long time president of goa Foo-ball association in which capacity he helped the development of soccer in whole of goa while in Canolim he gave his life for developing Candolim players. It was under his leadership that Candolim reached into the first division of GFA during Portuguese time – that time there was no Senior Division.  Considering his contribution in the development and promotion of Candolim foot-ball, It will be appropriate to have his Statue erected nxxt to this Ground. Panchayat of Candolim must immediately initiate this move.

The final of this foot-ball was played on 19^th between St. Thresa’s High School CandoliM and Monte de Guirim since it was a school teams festival where Candolim won by one goal to nil. 

    

The final was attended BY a good number of spectators mainly the well wishers and friends of Pe. Chico including the family members of  Moneiros.

A.Veronica Fernandes.

GST ON TIATROS.

It is a hard fact that Konkani Tiatro since its inception or birth on 17th April 1892 proved to be a strong weapon to fight against injustice in diverse fields. In the beginning stages it fought against the social evils existing among us in Goa like discrimination based mainly on caste system. The effect of caste system getting diminished to a large extent now was due to the tireless campaign from the Stage by our elder Tiatrists, during those days. Secondly lessening of the arrogance and pride of Bhattkars against the Mundkars was also due to the fight vehemently carried forward by the Tiatrists. Besides there are so many other unjust events against which the Tiatrists have fought from the Stage, even the arrogance and discrimination the Church has practiced in the Church against the lower segment of the faithful, sadly with the silent nod of the Church leadership. However, the greatest fight the Tiatrists did and still doing and in all probability will do even in future, is the political fight against the government machinery that is malfunction. This political battle was started in Goa after the invasion of Goa by Bharat on 19h December 1961. During the Portuguese regime in Goa, Tiatrists were prohibited to handle this issue by the dictatorial Salazarist regime. Other than politics and critics against the government, Tiatrists were allowed to criticize anyone and anything. The political campaign in Goa against the Goa government first time started on Goan Konkani Stage was immediately after Indian democracy took birth in Goa in December 1962 when in Mapusa the greatest political singer Tiatrist in the Tiatro history, the legendary Kid Boxer and the Trio Kings namely Conception-Nelson-Anthony were arrested for rendering political songs critical of the new Bharati government. Earlier, in Bombay the mighty Kid Boxer in late fifties was arrested, tortured, sentenced, imprisoned and deported to Goa for criticizing Bahrati government for showing its lust for Goa. Besides, M. Dod de Verna and M. Boyer also joined in singing political songs. During the Opinion Poll, in the absence of strong Konkani and English media help we won the Poll because the Konkani Stage and Tiatrists were in unison used the Stage to campaign very hard against the merger even though the top English and Marathi Press was supporting the merger. The work during this time done by the Tiatrists to save Goa from getting merged with Maharastra, must be kept written in golden letters for posterity to know. The scripting of political Tiatros started with the staging of Tiatro “NATIONALIST” somewhere in 1964 by Nelson Afonso and the crescendo for singing songs against Goa government headed by Dayananda Bandodcar reached in mid sixties and to arrest this trend in late sixties Bandodcar introduced entertainment tax on Tiatros only to punish Nelson Afonso of Trio Kings for his anti-MGP campaign from the Stage. Bandodcar and his MGP government were terribly afraid of the fury of Tiatrists against him and his government and he was deadly afraid of Nelson Afonso and his Trio because they were all three powerful politically. To pacify Nelson Afonso who was the main brain behind the Trio Bandodcar was ready to do anything. According to one source closer to Bandodcar, once Bandodcar even sent some feelers to Nelson Afonso asking him “whatever you want I will give you but stop your tirade against me and my government”. But Nelson was Nelson, true son of his true Goan father, for him his principles were more important than the illicit material benefits and thus Nelson Afonso declined this rosy offer of Bandodcar. That was the integrity and quality of those days Tiatrists In fact, Bandodcar was more afraid of Tiatrist and especially the Trio Kings than all the 12 MLA’s of Opposition party UG. And to pacify Nelson Afonso and his Trio Kings, like a coward, Bandodcar withdrew the entertainment tax for Nelson’s Tiatro “Dolorosa” which was staged on moving Stage first time in the history of Konkani Stage. Now there is lot of noise in Tiatro circle because the government has introduced GST to Tiatros as well. How much is it? 18% to 20% ? I am sure Tiatro goers will not care for this GST because for the love of Tiatros they will undergo any sacrifice and hence this GST will not have much negative effect on Tiatros though it is not correct to impose GST on Tiatros. Hence, the government should withdraw it immediately., otherwise, the campaign of Tiatrists against this government will surely force the government to withdraw it. A.Veronica Fernandes.

INDIA'S PERFORMANCE IN WORLD SOCCER.

India lost all its encounters in the ongoing World Cup under 17 and had to exit in the first round itself though not disgracefully but with some respect as they played with some improved techniques, of course thanks to the Portuguese Coach whose elders have laid a strong base of Goan soccer. India’s exit is unbearable when it is having lot of resources to produce best of foot-ballers not only in India and Asia but in the whole World too. Indian Olympic squad in 1956 Melbourne Olympics had the unique distinction to enter into quarter final where for one of the brilliant hat trick goals of our Goan Neville D’Souza, the then Olympic President just jumped from his chair in excitement, exclaiming, “see the wonderful goal scored by that Indian”.  Those days players had more dedication for the love of soccer but today it is for money and other perks.  Besides, there is no dedication on the part of the soccer administrators to improve the standard of this game in India.

In Kuwait I saw its Junior national team and I can rightly say they will easily beat our seniors.  Why this disparity when India is such a huge country having such a vast manpower at its disposal that can be trained so well as it was done in Kuwait with the paid assistance of Brazilian know-how?  The Kuwaiti Senior soccer team is one of the best in Asia and being a small country having such a thin manpower, Kuwait played in the Olympics and World Cup too because Kuwait has dedicated, sincere and faithful officials to run their Soccer.

As a matter of interest, immediately following the 1974 World Cup tournament, Kuwait acquired the services of World best soccer Coach, Brazilian Mario Zagallo who won the World Cup for Brazil in 1970 as a Manager and in 1958 as a player with baby Pele. Kuwait paid him monthly salary of $20,000/- with boarding and lodging plus other perks.

Once in mid eighties our Goan organizers of competitive soccer for Indians, at Kuwait Sour Grounds,  under the leadership of renowned soccer administrator and International Umpire, J.P. D’Mello based in Kuwait as FIFA’s  representative, approached the Kuwaiti Soccer administrator for requesting him to provide a ground for our soccer.  His Secretary encountering us at the entrance, questioned thus: “SINU, HINDI?  KOORA?” and laughed sarcastically. To interpret his Arabic comment means, mockingly, “What? are Indians playing football?”

Yes, Indians are not only playing football but are also organizing Soccer World Cup as witnessed in the World Cup under 17.  Besides gaining experience in hosting of  World Cup, Indian soccer team also gained the know–how of playing at world level. Moreover, the infrastructure and other facilities created for this World Cup will be a great asset to move further in promoting Indian soccer. These are huge gains for India.

A.Veronica Fernandes.