Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: Unlike most of the Goa Professional League club, Panjim Footballers is among those clubs which has one of the most budgeted team in the side, yet the performance was never compromised.
Last season, the young Panjim side, the development team of Sporting Clube de Goa, under the guidance of coach Shekar Kerkar finished in the top half of the league table. An achievement and result none expected but the club believed.
There were plenty of players with individual brilliance and leadership qualities and Kunal Kundaikar earned his promotion to their senior club Sporting Clube de Goa for this season.
The main objective of their club was to set a development squad for Sporting Clube de Goa, where their scout would spot promising boys from the GFA’s age group tournaments of Sporting Clube de Goa and then further groom them into mature players.
The credit of gathering talent goes to the entire management and coaching staff of both Sporting Clube de Goa and Panjim Footballers.
This time the club has appointed Alex Alvares as the head coach. Speaking to Alvares said “It's not only a challenge to work with young players but a greater challenge to face big teams in Goa Pro league”.
“We will work hard to finish in first five positions of the GPL which should be a big achievement for us. My main aim is to see that most of the players get graduated to the senior squad where they will earn their bread and butter, concluded the coach.
Speaking to team Manager Anthony Vaz said “it was magnificent to see our Captain Kunal Kundaikar being signed by Sporting Clube de Goa”.
He further said that his season they have added U-20 players from SCG academy namely Anthony Fernandes, Pandurang Gawas, Liston Cardozo and Jovito Fernandes.
Speaking to club patron Angelo (Anju) Albuquerque said, “This club represent Panjim. And now it’s time we think of taking it higher. We were motivated by our very close friend Peter Vaz, who started his footballing career with Panjim. We have nurtured many upcoming players and given them an opportunity to have a taste of Professional football and now we are contemplating in giving them another opportunity of experiencing national football if things go all according to plans. We have an aim of playing in Second Division Ileague,” added Anju.