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| Goa - 2005 Santosh Trophy Champions |
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| Support Soccer Activities at the grassroots in our villages |
| Vacationing in Goa this year-end - Carry and distribute Soccer Balls |
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Last month, Goa clinched the precious Santosh Trophy by defeating
Maharashtra 3-1. The interesting part of the finals was that the opposition
team, Maharashtra, also included Goans, which is not something new, as Goans
have been playing in their second home, Bombay, from the time they settled
there!
Soccer has been and continues to be Goas most favorite sport! As children,
we played soccer at home, on way to school, in the school, in the fields and
on playground. Most of us could not afford to buy a foot ball then; so, we
used a tennis ball. In Goa, there is a tree called kombieo which produces
round, inedible fruits, in the size of a tennis ball, colloquially known as
kombieachim follam. Dozens of these follam fall and cover the area
under the tree. As we passed by the trees, we picked up the fallen follam
and used them as a foot ball; sometimes, we covered it with a sock. Of
course, we couldnt kick it in the air; it was meant to be played on the
ground only.
Today, children practice soccer with boots but half a century ago most of us
could not afford to buy boots. In the 1950s and 1960s not all the players
in a team wore boots, especially at a festachi match. Therefore, the ones
playing without boots had to exercise caution, especially while they tackled
the ball from a forward player. If a bare-footed player received injuries
from a player wearing boots, he would be immediately marked and brought
down, sometimes resulting in serious injuries, and they did it with ease!
One of the Gaumvaddy members, the late Antonio Joao Fernandes, worked with
BAPCO in Bahrain from the 1950s through the early 1970s. Whenever he came
home on vacation, he brought tennis balls and gave one ball to each child in
the ward. It was the best gift for us in those days. We felt so happy that
we jumped with joy and thanked him again and again Dev borem korum ankol,
Dev borem korum ankol, Dev borem korum ankol. He coolly looked at us,
smiled and said: Fuddlea vorsa anik haddtolom! (I will bring you more
next year!) We used those balls to play soccer and cricket with a
piddeachem bat.
Keeping in mind what Anton Joao uncle did for us during our childhood, I
thought it was my duty to do the same for the Gaumvaddy boys when I grew up
and took up employment. Every year I bought them a football. When I got
employed abroad, I continued to buy footballs, boots, etc., for the boys
whenever I went home on vacation. Things were different during our
childhood but now that we are better off and can afford to buy, let us be
generous and help our youngsters, not just in football but in all
disciplines of sports.
During the last century, the world has produced some of the best soccer
players like Pele of Brazil, Euzebio of Portugal, Bobby Charlton of England,
Maradonna of Argentine, to name a few. Although currently India lags in
soccer competition in the world arena, it did quite well in the last century
and even produced one of the best soccer players who made us all proud with
his skills, especially when he played for India in the 1956 Olympics. He is
none other than NEVILLE DSOUZA, son of Assagao, Bardez, Goa!
While I was sifting through my stuff in the apartment over the weekend, I
came across a classic song sung by the one and only yesteryear Konkani stage
all rounder Remie Colaco. The song should serve as an inspiration to our
soccer players. It was recorded at a tiatro in Mapusa in 1978! In Goa,
soccer is known as football; hence, it is referred to as football in
the song. Here are the lyrics of the song:
NEVILLE DSOUZA by Remie Colaco
I
Kosloch faido nam, sonvsarant ami marun polki movza
Konnank sonvsarant ravonk mevonam, zanv to kedoi raza
Konnui borem nanv dovrum moromsor ugddas korta porza
Porje sovem nanv dorun gelo khellan Neville DSouza
Chorus
Hockey ani football, donui khev bore khevtalo
Technique tachi pollovn, lok taka ojeaptalo
To magic aslelea porim gol martalo
Kitleai uxear golik kainch nuim korn fottoitalo
II
Tatache teamink, Neville khevtannam, bhorpur tacho attak
Tache udexim Tata Hockey Team soglleank kori nattak
Thoddoch teomp khevon, Hockey soddun football khevonk gelo xevttak
To soddun vetoch toslo forward azun mevonk nam re Tatak
Chorus
Caltex mhunn tea tempar, team asli football-achi
Khevon to he teamink, dakoili uxearki apnnanchi
Korun Rovers final-ik hat trick tin golanchi
Tannem poili jikoili civilian team Bomboichi
III
Neville DSouza Bombaim ravo punn ganvan Assaganvcho
Khellpi uxear mhunn zavn gelo captain borea-borea timincho
Rogtanuch tache soglle familik mog tankam khellacho
Maim-pai sodanch moidanar assot khell pollevnk putacho
Chorus
Portugez astannam, Neville Goyeam khevlolo
Tednam uxear Palmeiro, goalie Goyeam aslolo
Taka fottovn Nevillan gol tacher marlolo
Apnnank fottoilo mhunn Palmeiran hath taka dilolo
IV
1956 footballak Neville hero Olympicacho
Melbournak vochon dakoilo tannem khev Goenkarancho
Ugddas vechonam Australiacher marlelea chear golancho
Khev tacho pollevn lok taka ojeaplo Eropacho
Chorus
Tednam Sir Stanley Rod, President Footballacho
Tannim taka pacharlo, to player mhunn world classicho
To man mevlolo konn nam re Indiecho
Fokot Neville DSouza put Goa xaracho
Kabar
I like the slogan on Goanet these days:
Goa 2005 Santosh Trophy Champions
Support Soccer Activities at the grassroots in our villages
Vacationing in Goa this year-end Carry and distribute Soccer Balls
I hope Goans worldwide pay attention to the slogan and contribute and
distribute soccer balls to our youth in Goa, especially in villages, so they
can practice and play soccer and become future world class players!
Thats all from Doms antique shelf!
Moi-mogan,
Domnic Fernandes
Anjuna/Dhahran, KSA
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* G * O * A * N * E * T *** C * L * A * S * S * I * F * I * E * D * S *
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Spread the Christmas cheer - even when you're not here!
Send Christmas Greetings to your loved ones in Goa.
2005 Christmas Package - Flowers, Bubbles and Layers of Love.
http://www.goa-world.com/expressions/xmas/
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