25/10/2014 …. Director of sports authority of goa sandip Jacques has given a ten day time for gca to file their reply on to the synopsis of their written argument as well as the additional reply in connection with a show cause notice issued by the sag threatening de-recognition of gca

It may be noted that the matter which was heard on 9th of October this month was later kept to be heard for 24th of October after the legal advisor of the gca president advocate keertani sought to know from sag the details as weather there were any power in the sag constitution to recognize or de-recognise the goa cricket association

the GCA president had responded to the notice terming the notice as unwarranted without jurisdiction and challenging the powers of SAG to issue such a notice …

both gca president vinod phadke and his legal advisor advocate k t keertani were present for the hearing which took place on Friday before the director of sports authority of goa

sag director sandip jacques said that the legal counsel of gca had brought on record a couple of legal issues which had to be looked upon and therefore the matter was kept for hearing once again on 4th of November next month

Meanwhile gca president vinod phadke said that the allegation made against him by some gca managing committee members were totally false and baseless for which he would take legal action against the concerned managing committee members

Meanwhile mr Phadke also stated that the meeting taken by the eight managing committee members on Thursday was illegal and had no standing as far as gca constitution was concerned

23/10/2014 … Eight members of the managing committee led by vice president dr shekar salkar on Thursday appointed advocate dhaktu lal as the arbitrator for goa cricket association for resolving disputes in gca and has also suspended three gca office staff for not co-operating with the committee members of goa cricket association

Addressing media persons vice president of goa cricket association dr shekar salakar said that the three staff office namely kajal sawant, greta dsouza and victor Fernandes had been suspended by the managing committee for their indiscipline, insubordination, leveling false allegations along with their rude behavior with committee members

Gca treasurer vilas desai said that it was a said part that gca office staff had gone on leave and some of them had also taken office files along with them which was totally illegal

Meanwhile gca Joint secretary atul naik also said that the committee member had demanded strict action against the gca secretary chetan dessai against the filed by gca secretary in the high court of Mumbai at panaji for staying the investigation without the permission and information of the managing committee members

 And yet, every single time he sees the legendary Zico, Brazilian coach and former footballer training the players of FC Goa, he still feels that he has a lot to learn.

 Sharing his thoughts on the legendary player, Colaco who presently coaches East Bengal says, “One can see a lot of eagerness and excitement in the way Zico trains and monitors the practice sessions. He does not put pressure on anybody; he makes the training sessions enjoyable. He has been all over the world and is now here to train FC Goa, so there is eagerness in the players in wanting to learn from him. Even I have learned many things as well only by watching him.”

 FC Goa is one of the eight teams to compete in the 2014 Hero Indian Super League (ISL) which got underway at Kolkata on October 12th. The team has recently signed exciting players like Arsenal stars Robert Pires and Andre Santos and I-league champ Ranti Martins.

 Excited about the line-up, Colaco says, “When foreign players come and play with our local players, there is a tendency for improvement. We have to be patient and hope that everything works out well. I’m sure that there will be positive changes in football in near future.”

 Speaking about Robert Pires, he says, “Pires’ humility is very inspiring. He does not travel in a trailer nor does he have a special arrangement for himself. For the match against Sesa FA, when Romeo Fernandes crossed, he said ‘well done’ and hugged him. So, that means that he wants to see Indian players come up. He’s a legend and has won the World Cup for France and represented Arsenal, yet he’s still the same old player.”

 Coloaco is highly optimistic about the entire ISL initiative, “ISL may prove to be that stepping stone for football to go ahead. In order to reach somewhere, you need to start somewhere. I am sure that there will be positive changes.”

21/10/2014 … Ninety six children participated in the first ever Grassroots Festival conducted by Dempo Sports Club at the St. Brittos High School grounds on Monday morning.

The primary focus of the festival was to introduce small children to the game of football. Children aged between 6-10 years were divided into five groups and guided though a series of six activity stations. Each station had a coach and the activities ranged from juggling, ball control to 2×2 sided games.

This initiative was a part of the memorandum signed between the club and St. Brittos High School Mapusa. The club will help organize Grassroots festivals and football camps for the school children apart from providing equipment’s to the school teams.

Those present on the occasion were Fr. Cedric Fernandes- Principal of St. Brittos H.S, Wilfred D’Souza- General Secretary, Marcelino Pereira- Dempo Juniors Coach, Kanan  Priolkar- Dempo U19 coach and members of teaching staff Joel, Firoz and Pawan.

17/10/2014 …. Not able to get the required co-operation from the president, secretary and staff members of the goa cricket association the two member committee of r k raghuvendra who are investigating in to the financial and administrative affairs of the Goa Cricket Association have now decided to take help from the income tax department so as to look in to the alleged financial irregularities that have taken place in goa cricket association

It may be noted that a two member committee comprising of CMO of Bits Pilani KM Raghevandra and chartered accountant Pradeep lad are investigating in to the financial and administrative affairs of the Goa Cricket Association

On Thursday the two-member inquiry committee who had called on the managing committee members of goa cricket association to appear before them where in only the eight member team lead by dr salkar appeared while gca president and secretary along with other members failed to appear before the investigating team

If gca staff do not cooperate with them investigating office k raguhvendra said that they would not mind to take assistance of the police officials asking them to help them in the investigating process

earlier Last Monday an eight member team of the managing committee of goa cricket association headed by dr shekar salkar had presented documents to the investigating team alleging irregularities amounting to a total of 26 lakhs given in cash to a sports company by the gca secretary in 2008 while on Thursday the concerned team also presented another sort of documents where in an amount of four crore forty two lakhs paid to the concerned company dev musco lighting pvt ltd owned by former criketer who have erected floodlights to gca using gca address …

14/10/2014 …. An eight member team of the managing committee of goa cricket association on Monday presented documents to the investigating team consisting of KM Raghevandra and chartered accountant Pradeep Lad alleging irregularities amounting to a total of 26 lakhs given in cash to a sports company by the gca secretary in 2008 and other irregularities …

It may be noted that a two member committee comprising of CMO of Bits Pilani KM Raghevandra and chartered accountant Pradeep are investigating in to the financial and administrative affairs of the Goa Cricket Association

The two member committee on Monday heard former gca secretary and president of the Torda Sports Club Prasad phaterpekar who had written in his letter to the Registrar that his club has continued to suffer at the hands of GCA officials …

Speaking to media reporters investigating team consisting of KM Raghevandra the eight members of the gca managing committee had brought to their notice of certain irregularities and ahad laso informed them of not showing them the minutes books for months …

Meanwhile dr salkar said that his eight member team had not seen minutes book for the past so many months and therefore had told the investigating team that they should not be held responsible for any irregularities if found in the ongoing investigating process …

Dr salkar also alleged that an amount of 26 lakhs were paid by the then gca secretary and treasurer in ways of cash to a Mumbai based kho kho sports firm

11/10/2014 …. A two member committee comprising of CMO of Bits Pilani KM Raghevandra and chartered accountant Pradeep Lad on Friday made their visit to the office of goa cricket association at porvorim and carried out certain inquiries in connection with the financial and administrative affairs of the Goa Cricket Association

Though both the members were unable to meet the gca president vinod phadke and secretary chetan dessai, the officials met gca treasurer vilas dessai and other gca office bearers where in the officials had an interaction with the committee members in regard to gca day to day affairs

It may be noted that the State government on last Wednesday had constituted a two-member inquiry committee to investigate financial and administrative affairs of the Goa Cricket Association and the committee had been granted time till November 14 to submit its report to the government.

The committee will also investigate into the allegations made in the complaints filed by Chandu Lamani, GCA member, on September 22 and by Prasad Phaterpekar and Wayne Fernandes, president and secretary of the Torda Sports Club, on September 23.

Speaking to media reporters CMO of Bits Pilani KM Raghevandra said that the investigating team had asked the gca officials to cooperate with them during the investigation period

Mr raghuvendra stated that the final decision in to the matter would be taken up by the state government once the report was submitted to the concerned department

Meanwhile gca treasurer vilas dessai said that gca would cooperate with the investigation team in all possible ways

Panaji:  October 10, 2014 …. Minister for Forest and Environment, Smt. Alina Saldanha asserted that Goa has an area of 755 sq. kms. of land constituted as wild life protected in the form of national parks and sanctuaries which provides a safe heaven to wild life.

 Smt. Saldanha was speaking at the Valedictory function of Wild Life Awareness Campaign organized by the Department of Forest held in the city today.

 Smt. Saldanha asserted that the State of Goa occupies a significant place in the Western Ghat, which is renowned over the world as the mega bio-diversity hotspot.

 Speaking further, Smt. Saldanha said this bio-diversity which includes flora & fauna holds life on earth together.  Every plant on land and microscopic plant in the ocean provide the required oxygen that we breathe.  The situation would have been far worse if the plants and the ocean had not to absorb much of the carbon dioxide we leave in the atmosphere, she added.

 The objective of this awareness programmes is to create awareness and appreciate the importance of wild, flora and fauna she said and pointed that it is bounded duty of every citizen to allow continuity of life through responsible action.

 Shri R. K. Srivastava, Acting Chief Secretary & Principal Secretary(Forest) said concise and collective efforts are needed to safeguard the environment and wild life.   He impressed upon the likeminded people like the NGO’s and environmentalists to supplement the efforts of government to achieve this goal.

 He said such awareness programmes never see an end but should be an ongoing process compacted with sustain efforts so as to save the pristine areas of western ghat for posterity of the coming generation.

 Bio-Diversity in Goa – a concise filed Guide and Goa Forest Newsletter was also released on the occasion at the hands of Smt. Alina Saldanha, Minister for Forest & Environment.

 ‘Prani Mitra’ award consisting of certificate and Rs. 5000/- was also conferred upon Shri Edward Rodricks, Shri Xavier Peter D’Souza and Damodar Polaji for their efforts to rescue wild life & conservation.

 Awards to winners of various competitions like elocution, quiz, photography and drawing competitions held during the week long Wild Life Awareness Campaign were also handed over to its respective winners at the hands of the dignitaries.

 Shri D.F.N. Carvalho, DCF welcomed while Shri Sanjay Waradkar, DCF proposed the vote of thanks.

In a keenly fought out game, FC Goa got their game going on home ground with Robert Pires as captain. Both team had a number of chances to take the lead but the first half ended 0-0. FC Goa players strung a number of passes around the field to the delight of the fans that filled up the west stand.

In the second half FC Goa came out with the sole aim of winning this game and remaining undefeated. And the aim was fulfilled when FC Goa’s marquee player Robert Pires was brought down in the penalty box in the 58^th minute of play. The fans were delighted as Pires opened his account for FC Goa with a superb spot kick. Vasco SC played out their hearts and also got the fans cheering as the game came to a close.

Said Manager and Chief Coach Zico post the match, “We wanted to play at the same time as when the matches will be held to familiarize ourselves to the prevailing conditions on the field. Vasco Sports Club played well. We had a few opportunities but didn’t convert them. But the team is shaping up well with new additions like Ranti Martins and Narayan Das getting game time today.”

Added co owner Shrinivas Dempo, “FC Goa was very much in control of the game. The team looks fit and charged. We look set for the league”.

 Ahead of ISL, which will begin on October 12, the franchise teams have been playing friendly matches with various football clubs. In its first friendly match played some days ago FC Goa triumphed over Sesa Football Academy by a margin of 3 goals (Score 3-0) and scored a win against the India national U-19 team with a score of 4-0.

 Zico has begun putting the FC Goa lads through the motions at team training sessions and is gearing for the first season of the ISL.

FC Goa will play their first ISL match against Chennaiyans FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Margao on October 15, 2014.

FC Goa has partnered with online ticketing portal BookMyShow.com for ticket sales. Tickets to the opening match as well as other home matches are now live on
http://in.bookmyshow.com/go/?ref=islmainsite_fc_goa_2014&url=http://in.bookmyshow.com/sport/indian-super-league/fc-goa/

The Hero Indian Super League, India’s unrivalled football championship is scheduled to kick off on 12th October 2014. FC Goa will play its first match against Chennaiyans FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa on October 15, 2014.

Tickets are priced at Rs 100 (North and South Stand), Rs 200 (East Stand) and Rs 300 (West Stand). Tickets at corporate boxes will be available at Rs 2500. Season Passes for home matches are also available. For every six home matches you buy, you would get one free

In addition to Book My Show, tickets can also be bought from a number of venues across the state, including Cafe Coffee Day outlets, The Mobile Shop stores and select Videocon outlets. Ticketing booths are being set up at the PJN Stadium Fatorda, FC Goa’s home ground from where tickets will be available from 9^th October onwards.

Sports aficionados can buy tickets for FC Goa matches at Cafe Coffee Day outlets starting from 10^th October at outlets located at, Bambolim (Kenkre Centre, NH 17); Colva (inside Silver Sand Resort, Colva Beach Road); Margao (inside Vasant Arcade, Comba); Margao (inside HPCL Kundre Service Station, Padre Miranda Road); Panjim (Arthur Viegas Building, next to Hotel Law Capital); Porvorim (143, NH 17, Porvorim, Bardez); Calangute (Inside Sunshine Beach Resort, Baga and Inside Vanessa Theatre Shopping Complex); Candolim (Fort Aguada Road), Mapusa (Feira Alta, Bardez, Near Mapusa Court Circle) and Palolem (inside Hotel Rishi Exotica, Palolem Beach Road).

Tickets will also be available at The Mobile Store outlets located at Bardez (Shop no 19&20, below hotel Orionnova, Cidade complex, opp Dominos, Porvorim,Bardez – 403521); Vasco (Shop no. 9,  ground floor, “Hotel Gladstone”Opposite Civil Court, Vasco Da Gama Goa, Vasco – 403802) and Panjim (Shop no 2, Ground Floor, Navelkar Trade Center, M.G road, Panjim – 403001).

FC Goa has already triggered a whirlwind of interest when it signed on a genuine Brazilian legend and three-time World Cupper Arthur Antunes Coimbra fondly known as Zico as its marquee coach. Zico has begun putting the FC Goa lads through the motions at team training sessions and is gearing for the first season of the ISL.