Dear Friends, While reading the 'oHeraldo' online today, I was very impressed by the letter to the Editor, of Mr. Babluis Pereira, which is reproduced herebelow: It is high time we realise, the fact, that Football is being dominated by foreign players, under the patronage of our Goan Clubs. Big money is being paid to these foreign Players and Coaches, which can be utilised to produce our own. The writer has beautifully expressed his views and it, certainly, calls for introspection, by all sports loving Goans. Football is in our blood, so let us hope more Good Footballers Rise and Shine! And may the Promoters of Football, work towards achieving the ultimate goal. Cheers!!! Rabindra Pimenta Kuwait. Quote Babluis Pereira, Pompurpa This refers to the news item ‘CM hails Churchill Bros’
(Herald, 17 April). Hats off to Churchill Bros for winning the prestigious I-League crown. But how can Goans feel proud when all the I-League awards were taken by the Churchill Bros Nigerian striker Odafe Okolie, who dedicated the victory to his second son! He should have dedicated the victory to the club’s Goan supporters, the club’s patron, or his late father/mother, but not to his second son. Thousands of Goan football lovers watched the match. It was unfortunate that Goan fathers, mothers and families could not see their Goan sons netting goals and making Goa proud. There were hardly two or three Goans in the team; the rest were all outstation and foreign players. Foreign players are shining in Goa’s number one sport, and our Goan players are warming the benches. Why then do we say: “Football runs in Goans’ blood?” >From the ’60s to the ’80s, Goan players with their creative football donned the colours of leading Indian clubs and brought laurels to the state. The ABCD quartet of Vasco Sports Club shook all-India tournaments with their powerful skills, trained by a home coach. Now our home coaches are sidelined, and everybody wants foreign coaches. Goans need no foreign coaches, players and academies. Football is in their blood. Given the chance, our home coaches can mould our youngsters to international levels. Many groups oppose foreign culture in Goa. I am surprised how they tolerate foreign players stealing the glory from Goan players on Goan soil. The government must make football a state game, and ban foreign players. Unquote End _________________________________________________________________ Rediscover Hotmail®: Now available on your iPhone or BlackBerry http://windowslive.com/RediscoverHotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_Rediscover_Mobile2_042009