Churchill Brothers Sports Club and three
other clubs-United Sports Club,Rangdajied United and Mohammedan
Sporting- lost their appeal to the Club Licensing Appeal Body , throwing many
in Goa in a state of shock and disbelief. “Churchill Brothers can continue in
the second division. If they qualify and
confirm to the licensing criteria next year, they can still play at the I
League stated I League Chief Exexcutive Officer (CEO) Sunando Dhar to goalfest.
“There were multiple criterias that Churchill Brothers did not fulfill.
Finance was just one of them. Youth Development and personell were some of the other criteria’s not met by
the club”, stated Dhar. “ We have asked Churchill not to disband the Club.
Churchill Brothers are known to comeback and disbanding the club want solve the
problem”, stated Dhar philosophically.
“We discussed with Churchill and Valanka
why the team was being relegated. They agreed to the axing. The order was
passed in front of them. It was a very transparent process,” added Dhar.”They
pleaded for time but that was something that could not be done,’ he added
nonchalantly.
“The I League has 10 teams and bids have
been opened for more four teams. Two teams have already taken the bid
documents. We will get the full picture by July, added the I League CEO. AIFF
general secretary Kaushal Das was not available for his comments.
“ I think it is very unfortunate that a
Goan Club has lost the appeal. I do not know why they lost the appeal but it is
an unfortunate day for Goa,” stated Goa Football Association (GFA) President Mr Shrinivas Dempo.
“Unfortunate.They should have been given a
reprieve to be in the top league because
they have brought glory, honour and colour to Goan football,” stated a
distraught Dr Rufino Monteiro, chairman
of the Goa Football Development Council(GFDC).
“It is a decision that will hurt the fans
of Churchill Brothers the most.Sad that a champion club is shown the door in
this manner. All the hard work of the players in the last season has to go
waste and their future is uncertain. Not good for football. A little more time
for compliance wouldn’t have made much difference. I appeal to the AIFF to be
more sympathetic,” said a shocked Mr.
Elvis Gomes, senior vice president of the Goa Football Association(GFA).
“It is sad for Goan football. Churchill has
been a pioneer in the development of Goan football. It is a very sad day for me
to say anything more,” said Sporting Clube de Goa proprietor Peter Vaz in total disbelief.
“It is sad news that a Goan club could be
out.They have won two I League titles and the Federation Cup. It is a blow to
football in Goa . Goa was once known as the mecca of football. We are one team
less now,” stated Salgaocar Sports Club secretary Raj Gomes.
“Valanka and Churchill were definitely sad
when the judgement was read out to them. Churchill most probably started before
I got into football. They were there along with someone else”, explained a
source at the AIFF headquarters in Delhi. ‘There was no acrimony,”, added our
source.
Churhill Alemao appeared positive that he
would win the appeal a few days ago. But that was not the case today. Attempts
to speak to Valanka Alemao proved futile.
It now appears that the I League members are confident that the
2014-2015 will consist of 14 teams.” The axing of these four teams will not
hamper the running of the I League. We expect more teams to join through the bidding process, stated I League
CEO Sunando Dhar.
For time being , if Churchill is to be
believed, the curtains have come down on a team that at one stage put the
spectators through a riot of emotions.
Those were the days. Glorious ones! Days , as Sunando Dhar has said ,
Churchill can certainly recreate.
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