14 Years Strong: GFDC Reaffirms Commitment to Building Goa’s Football Future
Panaji, July 29: The Goa Football Development Council (GFDC) celebrated its 14th Anniversary at the Atal Stadium, Cujira, on Wednesday, marking another milestone in its journey of nurturing grassroots football and reaffirming its commitment to developing the next generation of footballers in Goa.
The function was graced by Hon’ble Minister for Sports & Youth Affairs Dr. Ramesh Tawadkar as the Chief Guest in the presence of GFDC Chairman Shri Glenn Souza Ticlo, GFDC Vice-Chairman Shri Dhaku A. Madkaikar, Executive Director of the Sports Authority of Goa and Director DSYA Dr. Ajay Gaude, GFDC Member Secretary Smt. Fransquinha Oliveira, along with coaches, centre heads, groundspersons, trainees, parents and football enthusiasts.
Addressing the gathering, GFDC Chairman Shri Glenn Souza Ticlo paid rich tributes to late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, describing him as the visionary behind the formation of the Goa Football Development Council. He said Parrikar’s dream of providing every child in Goa an opportunity to play football led to the establishment of GFDC and the historic declaration of football as Goa’s State Sport. Highlighting the Council’s growth over the past 14 years, Ticlo said “GFDC today operates 36 training centres with 64 qualified coaches, nurturing thousands of young footballers across the State while laying a strong foundation for the future of Goan football.”
Chief Guest Dr. Ramesh Tawadkar said the completion of 14 years was an important milestone and called for a renewed focus on taking GFDC to the next level. Recalling that the Council was established under the visionary leadership of late Manohar Parrikar during the tenure of former Chairman Rufino, he said it was now time to evaluate its progress and create a success story for Goan football, much like Odisha has achieved in hockey.
“We have coaches, physical education teachers and infrastructure, but we need greater accountability and commitment. Excuses such as rain or heat cannot hinder development. We must ask ourselves whether we have produced at least 50 to 100 players capable of representing Goa and India,” he said. Dr. Tawadkar stressed that if Goa is serious about developing sports, accountability at every level is essential. He also proposed establishing two residential football academies with hostel facilities for around 50 dedicated young players to provide quality coaching and a professional training environment. “Let us work in a way that we will be remembered for creating something meaningful for the future of Goan sport,” he added.
Dr. Ajay Gaude, Executive Director of the Sports Authority of Goa, lauded GFDC’s contribution to grassroots football and said, “GFDC has been doing commendable work at the grassroots and has played a vital role in identifying and nurturing young footballing talent. There is a need to further strengthen grassroots football through academies and structured competitions. Our children have the potential to represent Goa and India at the highest level. Football is Goa’s State Sport, and the Government has supported GFDC from its inception. Going forward, we must also have a proper league structure to provide regular competitive opportunities for young players.”
Speaking on the occasion, GFDC Member Secretary Smt. Fransquinha Oliveira described the anniversary as a celebration of a vision that has transformed grassroots football in Goa. She said GFDC has emerged as one of the strongest grassroots football networks in the country, with 36 centres across the State and several trainees progressing to represent India at the international level. Thanking the Government of Goa for its unwavering support, she reaffirmed GFDC’s commitment to making Goa the football capital of India and encouraged young footballers by saying that every great footballer begins with a dream and a football.
The celebration also recognised the invaluable contribution of GFDC’s 64 coaches, 36 Centre Heads and 36 Groundspersons, whose dedication over the last 14 years has played a pivotal role in shaping the success of the Council and inspiring thousands of young footballers across Goa. The programme concluded with a presentation ceremony honouring their contributions.
A special highlight of the evening was the felicitation of 17 dedicated members of the GFDC family for their invaluable years of service, including 6 staff members, 9 coaches, 1 groundsperson, and 1 former coach, who served the Council with distinction until the age of 73
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