GFA endorsement to amend First Division league draws flak

BY AUGUSTO RODRIGUES

The proposal by the Competition Committee of the Goa Football Association (GFA) to amend the 2022-23 First Division league and its endorsement by the Executive Committee meeting on January 18 has left managements, players and coaches aghast with all demanding a review.

In a note dated February 7, 2023, to presidents and secretaries of all clubs participating in the First Division league of 2022-23, the GFA stated that since there are 23 teams in the First Division, the members felt that a single league is not feasible due to time and ground availability constraints.

It suggested the formation of four groups i.e one each in the four zones and play on single-leg basis with the team standing first and second in the respective group will play the next round i.e Winner of Bardez vs Runners up of Ilhas and Winner of Ilhas vs runner up of Bardez.

Likewise the winner of Salcette vs Runner up of Mormugao and the winner of Mormugao vs Runner up of Salcette.

Two teams from Salcette zone will join Mormugao to have five teams in the Mormugao zone and so Salcette will have six teams, Ilhas 7 and Bardez 7, the GFA suggested further.

The four winners will then play the semifinals and the finals for which a special draw can be made by lots system. In the end, only one team i.e the winner of the finals will qualify for the GPL, as only one team gets relegated from the GPL, it noted further.

Also, it was agreed by the members that the last two teams from the zones i.e Bardez, Ilhas and Salcette, two teams from each zone will get demoted to the second division and in case of Mormugao only one team will get relegated to the Second Division.

The proposal by the competition committee chaired by Anthony Pango, vice president from South Goa, is to reduce the number of teams in the First Division from 23 to 16.

“Competitive matches are the backbone of any successful league and this proposal wants to reduce matches. I appeal to the GFA president to see through this ploy of misguiding him,” Levinio Pereira, President of Clube Sao Minguel de Taleigao, coach of Salgaocar FC and confidant of GFA president Caitan Fernandes told GT Digital.

“This decision is a joke. If they want to reduce the First Division League to five or six matches, they might as well not have it. We invest in our boys to participate in a fair competition,” stated Iyno D’Souza of Goa Velha Sports Club.

In fact, the secretary of Goa Velha SC, Bryan Pegado, in a letter to GFA (copy sourced by GT Digital) suggested how the First Division league can be held with each team playing ten matches. He explained how two teams can be promoted and relegated and how the league could be completed in two months.

“Further, a minimum of three grounds per day is not an impossible task to achieve and in case there is difficulty in getting the same, I don’t mind stepping in and booking grounds along with the organization for the league,” stated Bryan in his letter.

“It is wrong on the part of GFA to demote seven teams because when the proposal was brought to add new teams to the First Division, members of the present committee and including me did not object to the move then. So, why take this drastic action now when all of us were, in the first place, involved?,” asked John Fernandes President of St Savio Sports Club another team of the league.

“Management invests in players in the hope they succeed in competition and get promoted to the top league. This new proposal dashes all such hopes,” stated Lino Pereira coach of Geno Sports Club.

“We are against and will object,” stated Marcus Peixoto, secretary of Curtorim Gymkhana.

“Organising a league for 23 teams is a costly and laborious affair. We started the season late and it was because of this that the Executive Committee decided to endorse the proposal of the Competition Committee. We have received reactions against and are listening to new proposals. This is not the end of the road,” GFA President Caitano Fernandes assured GT Daily.

Few members of the Executive Committee have red-flagged the proposal in their Whats App group. “Some members of the Executive Committee have suggested ways how this matter can be resolved. Conducting a league where teams can play four or five games is definitely not good. The decision will be reviewed,” stated a member of the GFA secretariat.

GFA Competition Committee chairman Anthony Pango did not respond to phone calls. Till then, the Executive Committee that won on a promise of taking football forward will need to get its foot, which slid backwards, out of the muddle.