Goan football lacks identity, needs uniform coaching education system: Elvis Goes
Times of India | 2 weeks ago | |
Times of India
2 weeks ago | |
Panaji: Elvis Goes has often wondered why Goa does not produce quality footballers like it did in the past.“Once upon a time, Goa had identity, Goa played like Goa, but where is that identity now,” asks Goes, former Dempo footballer and coach of Vasco Sports Club. “We had legendary players who played a brand of football that was exciting to watch. Where is that football gone? Why didn’t we carry it forward?”Goes, aged 57, spent 17 years in the United States working in different capacities before he returned to Goa in 2006. It was his vision that saw the first artificial football field complex in India, along with state-of-the-art sports conditioning and sports medicine centre at the Chowgule College in Margao.He coached Vasco SC in the National Football League (NFL) before packing his bags to Portugal where he now runs the International Football Academy de Portugal (IFAP), a training school for young footballers eager to make it big.“We are not even scratching the surface here, but if Goan football has to make a beginning, let’s start with one component: Football education,” said Goes.During his visit to Goa last week, Goes had discussions with the Brahmanand Shankhwalkar, chairman of the Goa Football Development Council (GFDC), and Bruno Coutinho, director of coaching at Sports Authority of Goa (SAG). These are two important arms of Goan football, who along with the Goa Football Association (GFA), form the trinity that can take the game to a different level.Goes has been in constant touch with Brahmanand and Bruno trying to see whether a coaching education system, like the one in Portugal, can be provided for free to all GFDC and SAG coaches, so that there is consistency to the system, style and philosophy throughout the state.“The educational curriculum comprises four components: technical, physical, mental and tactical. It’s not just football training. There are nutrition guidelines, how to speak to the kids, leadership and communication, so that coaches can get empowered.“This is a proven curriculum We can finetune this a little bit, but we don’t need to change much. It’s proven, working, tested. Once this curriculum is implemented here in possibly six months, the GFA must ensure that all clubs has access to it,” said Goes.The former Vasco coach has recommended the tried-and-tested curriculum from Portugal’s University of Coimbra, a programme that is being implemented by several countries in Europe including France, Netherlands, Belgium and Spain.“In Porto, they do a training session of defensive organisation, and down in Lisbon, we do the same session. We play 4-3-3, they do the same. The boy coming from Porto to Lisbon knows exactly what to do. We must have consistency in our training programmes,” he said.The IFAP president also highlighted the need for all three arms of Goan football – SAG, GFDC and GFA – to walk hand-in-hand for the good of the game.“Each of the three important entities has a role to play. For developing youth, give that responsibility to GFDC. Let SAG deal with all the infrastructure, equipment management, grounds, and let the new leadership at GFA stay focused on creating competitions and developing them. All of them should work together and ensure there is no overlapping (of duties),” said Goes.
