Brahmanand-The Face of Goan Football

Brahmanand is the face of Goan football and needs no introduction. His contribution to Goan and Indian football is beyond comparison. He is the first Arjuna Awardee and has attained a legendary status in Goa having won the Santosh Trophy twice under his captainship, first as Joint Winners at W.Bengal in 1983 and outright at Madras in 1984. He is the only Goan to have featured in the school text books.

NAME- Brahmanand Sagun Kamat Shankhwalkar-(Goal-Keeper)

ADDRESS: Taleigao Ilhas Goa. 403003.

Arjuna Awardee- 1998 

CLUBS
1 Panvel SC 1970-74,

2 Salgaoncar SC 1974-91(17 years) 

3 Churchil bros 1991-94,

4 Anderson-marines 1994-95

SENIOR NATIONALS

Played 17 Santosh Nationals-

Joint winners- 1983 and Winners- 1984

Captained Goa 1983-84-85

INTERNATIONAL:
Two times Asian youth championships at Kuwait 1975 and Bangkok 1976

Twice Marah Alim Cup at Kabul, Afghanistan 1976-77

Three times Merdeka Cups at KL Malaysia

Two times Presidents Cup at Seoul S.Korea

Kings Cup at Bangkok

Three times Nehru International Gold Cup

83 & 85 Cochin & 86 Trivundrum

Two times Pre-olympics at Singapore 1980 & at Delhi, Malaysia, Singapore &S Arabia- 1983
Asia cup at Calcutta & Singapore 1984

Two times Asian Games at New Delhi 1982 & Seoul, S.Korea 1986

Twice exposure trip to Moscow, Russia 1983 & 86

Exhibition matches at Zamibia 1977

Exhibition matches at Indonesia 1980

Exhibition matches at UAE & Bahrain 1979

One Exhibition match at Great Wall Cup, Beijing, China 1984

Tata super cup exhibition matches versus Bochum FC, Germany 1986

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:

COACHING:
Coaching Licence -2nd Asian School at Malaysia 1991

Goalkeeping Course at Malaysia 1999

AFC licence C, B, A

Coached Indian Team (goalkeepers) 1997-2005

AWARDS -
Goa State Award 1977

AIFF's player of the decade award 1996

Millenium award 2000

present occupation

Presently working at Sesa F A as an Administrator cum Goalkeeping Coach at Sirsaim, Bardez.

Robert Allison Bootland- A foreigner with a Heart of a Goan. By Lector Mascarenhas

Few days back, an advertisement about the third death anniversary of a person in ‘The Herald’ caught my attention and I write this article to pay tribute to the former Dempo and India coach whose love for Goa and Goan football is well documented. The news of his death on 12^th June, 2007 surprised Goan football lovers, as I am sure, not many people were aware that the once famous and successful coach of Dempo SC had, after retirement. preferred to spend the rest of his life in one of the most beautiful places in Goa-the Divar Island.

In the late seventies and eighties, Robert Allison Bootland, was the one of the best coaches seen in the football arena. His success in coaching took him to several top clubs in India and in between the AIFF too rewarded him for the good work by appointing him as a National coach. He is reported to have introduced the 4-3-3 system which was eventually played by all the top clubs in India in the eighties. But what made him more successful was not only because of the system but his ‘No Nonsense’ attitude which many a times caused friction between him, the Clubs he coached and also the All India Football Federation. Even though he coached several clubs, he will always be remembered as a Dempo coach for his success with the club.

As a former player of Salgaocar, Tata and Dempo SC in the eighties, I came across several coaches here in Goa and Mumbai with clubs, state and also during camps conducted for Indian selections. Every coach has some thing special to offer. Bob Bootland believed in hard work and laid great emphasis on fitness. His training sessions were never boring as he always came well planned for the day’s work. For pre-season fitness training he made best use of Miramar beach given the fact that we didn’t have good grounds to train during rains. Distance- cross country running was another of his favorite work out. He would make us run a distance of about 7 to 8 kms from Santa Cruz-Caranzalem-Miramar to Campal. We enjoyed the run as the entire stretch those days was full of greenery, unlike today.

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Bootland’s philosophy in life reflected in what he would say to us during our team talks. He would say “Efforts and Hard work put on by players is akin to somebody investing in a bank. First you must deposit and then you can withdraw with interest”. He gave a damn for reputation of players when they were found to be complacent. He would very often tell us about how in England a professional player never takes his place for granted and can’t afford to make mistakes repeatedly, as there is always someone on the sidelines to occupy his place. Once off the field he was a fatherly figure and would encourage, advice and address players individually by saying “Good luck son”.

Bootland was a foreigner from Newcastle, England but preferred to live and die in Goa as he not only loved his Goan wife but loved Goa as well. He came as a tourist in India in 1977 but ended up being more than just a tourist. He could have gone back to England for a better life but still preferred to stay back in Goa. In the end, I would simply say that he was a foreigner but had a Heart of a Goan. He along with Mr Shanmugam of Salgaocar Sports Club took Goan Clubs to great heights. No wonder then that Goa won almost everything that was up for grabs in India Football in the eighties, due to the efforts of these two great coaches.

May his Soul rest in Peace.

You can take a GOAN out of GOA, but not GOA out of a GOAN

By Lector Mascarenhas

Last year, he was our guest for the annual function of Goa Veterans Football Club, held at Hawaii Garden, Navelim, Sinquetim, Goa. He liked what he saw and wanted to rub shoulders with former Goan footballers which he could not do much during his playing days. Therefore, there and then, he paid his fees and became a member of GVFC. Taking Instant decisions is the hallmark of an ace footballer. For us, it was a proud moment, as we can now boast that we have an Olympian, and that too a Goan footballer, amongst us.

Destiny took Fortunato out of Goa but no one cannot Goa out of Fortunato. A Goan by birth is a Goan after-all, no matter where he resides. That’s what actually happened when many years ago young Fortunato, aged around six, had to leave the Goan shores for Bombay with his parents. Thereafter he lived there and played football passionately – it just came natural to him. He also served Tatas as a PRO till his retirement and now lives the rest of his life in a place where he belongs- Goa

.From Colvale (Bardez) – Bombay- and back to Colva (Salcette,Goa), it has been a long journey, a journey worth emulating by youngsters.

For those of you, unaware about his exploits on the football field, here is the man:

Name: Fortunato Franco

Age (Date of Birth): 74 ( 2.05.1936)

Village : Colvale (Bardez),

Club: Tata Sports Club- 1959 to 1965

Country: Represented India from 1959 to 1965

• Asian Cup Finals at Ernakulam, Kerala, 1959.
• Rome Olympics, 1960
• Merdeka Football Tournament, Kuala Lumpur, 1961
• Won Asian Games Gold at Jakarta in 1962.
• Asian Cup Final, 1963 at Tel Aviv-Israel( Runners up- Silver Medal)

§ Was the vice captain of the Maharashtra team which won the Santosh trophy in 1963 at Madras.

§ Pre Olympic matches for Tokyo Olympics at Colombo,Tehran,Bangalore and Calcutta.

• Merdeka Football Tournament, Kuala Lumpur, 1964
• Merdeka Football Tournament, Kuala Lumpur, 1965.

Former Olympian, Fortunato Franco, is the recipient of a special award of Rs five lakhs from Sports Authority of Goa, the sports wing of the Governmentof Goa.. The special award given by the Government to Sri F Franco is nothing but sort of a ‘Life Time Achievement Award’. The Jivadababa Kerkar Award, the highest sports award, given by the Government to sportsmen is actually meant for current players and so only one player is chosen every year. A team game like football may have several deserving players and so the Jivadababa Kerkar Award doesn’t serve the purpose. The Government must consider the case of deserving footballers who were overlooked earlier and give them a ‘Life Time Acheivement Award’. A case is particular is that of former international footballer, Francis D’Souza, who did not receive the ‘Jivadababa Kerkar Award’ simply because out of sight, is out of mind for the concerned authorities-GFA and SAG.

One must give credit where it is due and so it compels me to admit that the Government’s sports wing have done yeomen service to sports and football in particular by launching and implementing the much required ‘Sports Policy’ which, according to me, is the greatest gift to Goan Sports.

Take a bow to Fortunato Franco and GVFC wishes him many happy returns of today.

Here are they- some of them

‘Where are they now?” was the title of my last article and I am sure football aficionados would like to know where they indeed are! I don’t have any ready answers at the moment but in due course with the help from all quarters, I hope someday we will be able to reach out to all.

At the moment these are some of the former players who have come forward to make a difference and run the club. Yes, the club’s executive committee needs to be introduced and I am sure fans, members would like to know who they are. This introduction would have been better with photographs and I shall definitely upload a group photo as and when I get one. When we started in Jan 2009, the executive committee had the following members:

1. Brahmanand Shankwalkar,(Taleigao)- President

2. Armando Colaco( Curtorim)- Advisor

3. Leopold Fernandes(Chicalim)- Treasurer

4 Lector Mascarenhas( Curchorem)- Secretary

5. Jude Fernandes(Mapusa)- Vice President (Bardez)

6. Sanjeev Nagvenkar(Caranzalem)- Vice President (Ilhas)

7. Avertano Furtado (Navelim) Vice President ( Salcette)

8. Peter Valles (Vascao) - Vice President (Mormugao)

9. Agnelo Fonseca(Ponda)- Vice President (Ponda)

10. Lawrence Gomes(Vasco)- Asstt.Secretary .

11. Antonio J.Fernanddes(MArgao)- Asstt.Secretary

12. Baptist Fernandes(Siolim)- Member

13. Costancio Fernandes(Benaulim) Member

14. Martin Pires(Ponda)- Member

15. Dionisio Trinidade(Doana Paula)- Member

16. David D’Souza(Morjim)- Member

17. Agostinho Costa(Vasco)- Member

In the Annual General Body Meeting held on 07.02.2010 at Fatorda Stadium, the following vice presidents were chosen unanimously to reach out to more veteran players, both in Goa and abroad.

1. Shri Mariano Dias(Chandor) Vice President( Quepem)

2 Franky Barreto Vice President (Dubai)

3 Arnold Rodrigues Vice President (England)

4 Gaspar Crasto Vice President (Kuwait)

5 Jerson Rebello Vice President ( Qatar)

6 Selzo Fernandes Vice President (Oman)

7 Roy Barreto Vice President (USA)

8 Feliciano Menezes Vice President (Bermuda)

Before I wind up, let me bring on record the immense contribution of two of the above executive committee members who also happen to be the founder members of the club. The President Shri Brahmanand Shankwalker and the Advisor Shri Armando Colaco have been at the forefront in all the activities of the club. A special mention must be made about the financial contribution done to the club by Shri Armando Colaco who donated Rs 30,000/- to three beneficiaries last year. Besides this he has been instrumental in bringing the sponsorship of Rs 50,000/- to organize the tournament in memory of late V.V.Dempo which is held every year.

Lector Mascarenhas.

Secretary, GVFC.

Forgotten Heroes- Where are they now?

There’s an old adage which says “Like a tree, each one of us must find a place to grow in this world”. Out of the many careers which are on offer, some of us became footballers out of sheer love of the game. After liberation of Goa from the Portuguese, Goans took to football just as fish takes to water. Some of the players were lucky to get jobs in the companies of the clubs for whom they played viz the Dempo, Sesa Goa, Salgaocar etc whereas others not so lucky had to migrate to Bombay and some went overseas- mainly the Gulf.

Footballers are normally pampered, adored, and treated like stars during their prime but once over the hill they are quickly forgotten because a footballer has a shelf life and we all know that there is no value for things after the expiry date. When I joined Dempo SC in 1985, I would often hear the wise senior players comparing a footballer to a prostitute, saying “Prostitutes are in demand only when they are young and good looking”. How very true specially in the case of those players who played from the sixties to eighties, the first three decades after liberation. They gave so much to the game but got nothing much in return.

How do we former players want football aficionados to remember us? Its great to see some of our teammates still serving the game very successfully as coaches, managers and administrators. There are others who are away from the limelight and are mostly forgotten. Let’s make an effort to bring everyone together, go down memory lane, cherish those golden moments, aid those in need of financial assistance in whatever way we can and train the youth, thus giving something back to the game, what the game has given us.

Join- Goa Veterans Football Club.

By,

Lector Mascarenhas,

Secretary, GVFC