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After the All India Football Federation (AIFF) was criticised for finalising their new Executive Committee beforehand and excluding the state of Goa, which led to a postponement of the ExCo elections by the Delhi High Court, then the Times of India came out with an article to criticise the Goa Football Association (GFA) and its working.
Now the GFA came out with an official statement to defend itself, explain things from its perspective and further criticise the AIFF.
This is with reference to a report which appeared in the Times of India dated 17.12.2016 which can be accessed here – http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/goa-stops-receiving-technical-and-financial-aid-from-fifa/articleshow/56030580.cms
The Goa Football Association is surprised that its version was never taken into consideration, nor was any attempt to obtain the GFA’s side of the story, which is factually incorrect, and quite obviously, planted by some source with ulterior motives.
It is reported that it is unlikely that Goa-based players will get to play in the Under-17 World Cup as no scouting programme has been conducted yet in the state. This is a complete false statement.
Though initially kept out of the selection process by the AIFF, there has been an intense and continual scouting and training programme conducted by the GFA at its own cost, under the supervision of AIFF appointed scout Mr Samir Naik. The AIFF sent its Assistant Coach and Manager to take a look at the 34 boys who were selected after GFA conducted trials in North and South Goa at multiple venues. The case has been well documented in the local media, and the GFA strongly refutes this statement. There need not be regional considerations when selecting the national team, and the GFA is strongly behind the India U17 World Cup team, despite not finding favour with the coach.
More importantly, it has been alleged that monetary irregularities and infighting in the association robbed Goa of the entire assistance under the FIFA State Development Programme. This is far from the truth, and the GFA challenges this statement on all counts.
While the role of the Technical Director and the Marketing Officer looks good on paper, when the practical considerations for the state of Goa are factored in, you will appreciate that ancillary costs related to travelling and administration take up a sizeable chunk of the budget. We have believed that having office assistants to the TD and the MO, would help rid them of the routine responsibilities of reporting, general administration and accounting when they should be 100% focussed on their job. These incur costs, and such arrangements were discussed before being implemented, both with the candidates and the AIFF.
Just like the sham of the elections, it was hoped that the Development Programmes are also not mere shams, meant to appease FIFA and local State Associations. With that in mind, it was hoped that the monetary allocation for States would be customised to meet the requirements of the specific state.
It is our belief that such considerations, specific to each state, must be made when such programmes are implemented, and there has to be adequate room for customisation to improve the efficacy of such functions.The administrative and monetary yardsticks must meet the requirements, and states like Bengal, Mizoram, Kerala, Assam and Goa are not the same, in football playing style or in the way football is managed, or developed.
All such arrangements were undertaken by keeping the AIFF in the loop, in the interest of transparency and efficiency, without which there can be no development.
The GFA has carefully kept track of all communications with the AIFF in this regard, including all emails and letters, sent on financial matters related to the FIFA SDP and the scouting programme. The half baked reporting, and insinuations will not deter the GFA.
GFA challenges the AIFF to prove irregulatities, and will not cow down to the arm-twisting tactices of a body who have been utter failures in developing football in the country whose best rankings was 100 in the year 1993.
