Goa Football Development Council unveils GIFT 2014

(L-R) Peter Vaz, GFDC member, Dr. Rufino Monteiro, GFDC Chairman, Mr. P. Matthew Samuel, Secreatry, Sports, Government of Goa, Mr. Elvis Gomes, Member Secretary, GFDC and Mr. Brahmanand Shankhwalkar, GFDC member addressing the mediapersons.

Panaji, March 4, 2014: It’s that time of the year again. In its sustained bid to significantly boost the profile of the game, both in Goa and the country and also to make strides internationally, the Goa Football Development Council initiative GIFT (Goa International Football Table) is set to host its second summit on March 14, 15, 16 at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, Goa University, Taleigao Plateau.

The overall theme: Football Beyond The Pitch. The three-day event will witness a star-studded line-up of national and international big names who will share their invaluable insights into various aspects of the Beautiful Game. They include a galaxy of names who will dwell on various facets of the game that have been broken up into four areas viz The Year That Was, Talent Scouting, Brand Building and Community Development.

The speakers for the opening session on THE YEAR THAT WAS include Dr. Rufino Monteiro, chairman of GDFC( key-note speech), members of the panel include Shrinivas Dempo – President, Goa Football Association, Kushal Das – General Secretary, AIFF, Ishmeet Singh – Vodafone -Business head Maharastra and Goa who will discuss various aspects of the game. Member Secretary Elvis Gomes will focus on GDFC s special initiatives. The key-note address on the opening day will be eloquently delivered by former FIFA deputy Secretary General Mr Jerome Champagne.

In keeping with the Champagne spirit of the event, the technical Master Plan for Youth Football Development in Goa prepared under the leadership of Dr. Robin Petersen – CEO, South African Football Development Agency (SAFDA) will be released along with the Goa Youth football development re-search report by Neilsen’s on the Evaluation of the Football Ecosystem in Goa.

The awards programme on the opening day will witness the felicitation of Goa’s first international footballer Mr. Visitacao Lobo, former India women’s team captain Yolanda D’Souza, coaches late Joao Melo and Levino Dias, administrator Albert Colaco and the late international referee FX D’Souza besides promising young stars.

The second day of the convention will kick off with a keynote address by South African legend Mark Fish who played in the 1998 World Cup and in England for Bolton Wanderers, Charlton Athletic Club and Ipswich FC. There will be another keynote address by Spaniard Oscar Bruzon, present chief coach of Sporting Clube de Goa and former Celta de Vigo player, who will dwell on the importance of honing local talent to produce world-class players.

The game depends a lot on TALENT SCOUTING, and this aspect of the game will be discussed in a keynote address by Mike Steptoe – Director of the African Soccer Development School which will be followed by a debate by panelists including Ranjan Chaudhary, Director Youth Development – Pune FC, Arthur Papas – Chief Coach, Dempo Sports Club, Scott O’Donnel, AIFF Technical Director for Academies and Colm Toal – AIFF Youth Development – Chief Coach. The session will have Nigel Fletcher, CEO, Sports Development Marketing, as moderator. Fletcher brings with him loads of professional experience in various fields connected with the running and development of football at the highest level.

There will a be session focussed on – COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT – Participation Inclusion– which includes a Keynote speech by Grant Cornwell – CEO, Tottenham Hotspurs Foundation. Panelists who will debate about the aformentioned topic include Peter Vaz – President, Sporting Clube de Goa, Renedy Singh – President, Football Players Association of India and Chris Fortuin, Technical Committee, South African Football Association Development Agency.

Toby Hester will lead the BRAND BUILDING through football, the final session on day two. Hester is Global Football Brand Manager and is head of Tournament Fifa World Cup Operations (Castrol TBC). The panelists for the session include (moderator): Anant Rangaswami (Senior Editor, Firstsport.com, (panelists): Sunil Raina (XOLO), Rohan Menon (VP — Repucom International) Vinit Karnik (National Director — Group MESP).

Besides, there will be audience interactions at the various sessions in what will be a path-breaking three-day event to reaffirm Goa’s and India’s bid for soccer glory, not just on the field, but Beyond the Pitch.

The day will be rounded off by Henry Menezes, CEO Western India Football Association (WIFA). Menezes a former India captain and manager of pro clubs Mahindra United and Mumbai FC, will give his closing insights on the convention before GFDC member secretary Elvis will conclude the day with a closing address.

The third and concluding day of the convention will feature a parade of legends, noted Indian superstars of yesteryears namely, double Olympian SS Narayan (Babu), former India captains Sukhwinder Singh, Gurdev Singh and Rennedy Singh who have done yeoman service for the country in the years gone by.

This football parade will kick-off from the GFDC office at Miles High, Patto on Sunday at 9.00 am and wind its way through GFDC centres of north Goa, viz Moira, Aldona, Pernem, Mayem, Sankhelim and Valpoi.