PANJIM: Goa has a 103-Km coastline blessed with the most enchanting beaches, something ideal for beach soccer to thrive, but this exciting format of football remains woefully underdeveloped despite a sudden spurt in interest in 2020.
Goa did participate in National Beach Football recently, securing just three points and finishing last in the group with one victory to their credit.
After the brief spell of regular events on Goa’s beaches, we have not heard about the reason for the abrupt end of the road for what appeared like a ‘beach soccer drive’.
That apart, once a powerhouse in Indian football, Goa is facing a rapid decline in football standard and while the alarm bells have been ringing since long, there has been no consensus on what is the best way forward.
Even as the blueprint of futsal being a great tool to churn out quality footballers is there for all to see across the world football landscape, the Goa Football Association is yet to get its act together to give at least futsal a pride of place.
Although, futsal made its debut in Goan football circuit in September 2021, in the form of the inaugural State championship at Margao, it was not conducted in 2022. May be there could be some valid reason due to time constraint as the new body took over in October.
Sporting Clube de Goa won the inaugural edition and also represented Goa at the AIFF National Futsal Championship in 2021. In the subsequent year, Goan clubs missed out on such an opportunity. Nevertheless, six of the Goan players flew the State flag donning Mohammedan Sporting of Kolkata colours. They emerged runners-up for the second consecutive year under coach Joshua Vaz, who is the only coach in Goa with Futsal AFC Level 2 Licence.
When asked whether futsal can help Goa improve the fortunes in Santosh Trophy in future, Joshua, without hesitation, replied, “Definitely. But it is very important that we play correct futsal. What is organised on artificial grass, is not futsal -- but that is five-a-side football. Futsal is always played on a flat and hard surface.”
The only Futsal Level 1 Coach Educator in India is going around the country training futsal coaches. Many of them were with the teams in the National Futsal Championships this time.
“This year the level has improved vastly because there are more coaches who have done the AFC Level 1 course now. The technique and tactics were better than last year’s. It was more of a football competition, like a five -a-side football,” said Joshua, who conducted the courses in Gujarat and Punjab last year.
Joshua is a part of GFA Futsal Committee. He feels Goa needs Futsal Baby Leagues and that the seniors’ competition must be conducted on double-leg league basis.
"We can start with a minimum of eight teams, 28 matches, the winner of the league going to the National championship, which will be held in the winter of 2023-24 season. We can have the futsal league in the monsoon as well and have the winner by September or October, followed by the national participation,” divulged Joshua, who feels scheduling the events must tally with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) calendar.
Margao-based 32-year-old Joshua runs a futsal academy.
“Futsal is very important for development of football in India. We have excellent facilities in Goa with indoor stadiums at Navelim, Taleigao and Peddem, which have good wooden surfaces. If the government allows futsal there, we can improve very well,” added Joshua, who has formerly played for Churchill Bros in I-League and for Dempo Sports Club in Goa Pro League.