'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Now that the curtain has come down on the second edition of GIFT 2014 (Goa International Football Table), it is time to take stock of the situation. True, a fine range of speakers came, including the charismatic FIFA presidential candidate Jerome Champagne, and shared their respective pearls of wisdom on various aspects of the game, and though the Goa Football Development Council’s (GFDC) fruitful exercise came to the fore, they believe they are on the threshold of a success formula.
This has spurred their determination to leave no stone unturned to achieve their goals and make Goa the numero uno footballing state in the country and contribute its might to the national team’s success as well.
In chairman Dr Rufino Monteiro’s own words, “We have made progress, but we have miles to go before we sleep.” There is a whole lot that needs to be done, to ally the wards skill set to their talent, and more significantly, to let this find expression on the football pitch. Maybe the theme of this year’s GIFT was Football Beyond the Pitch. But GFDC plans to return post-haste to all their innovative and inventive schemes to ensure that the kids get both, education and fine-tune their football skill-set.
“We have learnt a lot from GIFT 2014. The sessions on brand building and community development were quite interesting and resourceful. From the community development session, we came to know how we can do something for the community. These things are something that the GFDC will definitely take up and try to implement,” said Dr. Monteiro.
“I am also very happy with the active participation and involvement of this year’s edition. The sessions were longer and the interaction more interesting. We saw many enthusiastic participants too. We have grown and will continue to learn as always.
“One of the significant things this year was the release of the reports – Nielson report on ‘Evaluation of Football Ecosystem in Goa’, which was prepared by SAFA, especially for Goa. The second deliberated on was the Seven Pillars, which GFDC will definitely pursue to ensure and implement better development of the game in the state,” concluded Dr. Monteiro.
The dynamic member secretary, Elvis Gomes too was ecstatic over the success of GIFT 2014. “The power packed words of Jerome Champagne, during GIFT 2014, was the perfect gift to all. It was as if FIFA itself had come to help us and do a reality check.
“As I had mentioned in the beginning, like the story of the intelligent thirsty crow, the answers found to so many of our issues, the compliments received and the constructively critical words thrown at us are our pebbles that we will carefully polish and place in such a way that the waters of success will be within our reach in the shortest possible period,” said Gomes.
“The centre-stage that we take is intermittent. Once again, It is time for less words and more action only before the whole football ecosystem in Goa develops so well that there will be no background left, but every place we step will only be a foreground.
Let every stake holder come forth and play a role with conviction to strengthen the seven pillars of success that was a major find at GIFT and then watch the results,” signed off Gomes.
