GFDC Chairman pledges to elevate Goan football

Panaji: Chairman of Goa Football Development Council (GFDC) Glenn Ticlo said that he will strive to ensure football is taken to greater heights.
He was speaking during the distribution of football kits and felicitation of Bibiano Fernandes (India Coach U-19 and U-17) organised by GFDC Siolim at the Church Ground, Siolim, on Saturday.
Present were Siolim MLA Delilah Lobo, GFDC Member Secretary Fransquinha Oliveira, Sarpanch Amit Morajkar, GFA member Jhonny Pereira and Babli Mandrekar.
Ticlo said that the need of the hour is to uplift the sport which is sliding downwards.
“Football is the lifeline of Goa and therefore GFDC was created by late Shri. Manohar Parrikar, Former Defence Minister of India and Former Chief Minister of Goa.
During our days, we didn’t have facilities and grounds. But now despite having this, football as a sport is on the decline. It is the need of the hour to bring it up again. Let us work together. I will ensure there is nothing lacking for the coaches and ground staff,” he said.
He also praised Bibiano for his achievements.
“He (Bibiano) has brought honours to the state of Goa and the country. We are proud of him for the wonderful job and his talent,” said Ticlo.
“I thank Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant and Sports Minister Shri. Ramesh Tawadkar for giving me this responsibility of GFDC Chairmanship. I will ensure all 36 centres are attended to.”
He further emphasized that the appointment of Technical Director is of paramount importance and will be appointed at the earliest, also the opening of North and South Goa Academy to nurture trainees in a structured and residential program is envisioned which will be taken up on priority with utmost seriousness.
“Even for nutrition, we can rope in self-help groups to provide the food items,” said Ticlo.
“Children need to be committed, disciplined, punctual, sincere and dedicated. Apart from academics, the importance of sports needs to be told to the kids. It helps in the overall development of the child. One can even rise up to represent the state and country as well,” he added.
He went on to state that with the support of Hon’ ble Chief Minister Dr. Parmod Sawant, Sports Minister Shri. Ramesh Tawadkar, DSYA Director Shri. Ajay Gaude and GFA President Dr. Caitano Fernandes, we will work together for betterment and upliftment of Goan football.
In her address, Hon’ble MLA, Mrs. Delilah said that parents have a big role to play in ensuring their children grow academically and in football as well.
“I thank the parents for their efforts. We have to ensure the children grow academically and in football as well. I saw toddlers learning football and swimming in Australia, and such things need to be replicated in India as well. There was a residential academy which was shut down during the Covid pandemic. This needs to be restarted and under the leadership of Hon’ble Chairman Shri Glenn Ticlo the restarting of the residential academy will be accomplished and we will see Top Talented players,” she said.
Member Secretary Mrs. Fransquinha Oliveira termed the event as special due to the distribution of football kits for the young players and the felicitation of Goa’s and India’s finest football coach Bibiano Fernandes.
“At GFDC, our vision is clear: to strengthen football at the grassroots level and ensure that talent from every village, taluka and every corner of Goa gets the opportunity to prove. Providing proper kits and support might seem like a small step, but for a young child with a dream, it means confidence, motivation and the belief that their efforts matter,” she said.
“I urge all the young players present here today to value this opportunity. Remain disciplined and never stop working hard. I thank the Siolim MLA for her constant support towards sports and youth development in the constituency and the GFDC Chairman who has taken up this huge responsibility to take the vision of football ahead. I thank the Centre head Gregory, coaches as well as ground persons, trainees and parents and congratulate them for the good work done at Siolim centre,” she said .
Bibiano urged the children to practice every day despite their school duties.
“When I was young, I would play in the fields. During our days there were no practices, we would play whenever someone was playing. Now we see that you’ll have daily practices and even U-8 children are enrolled at this centre. Practice every day and the coaches will guide you if you decide to become players. Even if you have tuition, homework and classes, you can finish everything quickly and still make time to come for practices,” Bibiano said.
The Siolim centre is managed by Center Head Gregory Dsouza, Coaches Zeena Soares and Sherwin Lobo and Groundsperson Anthony Dias.