Tilak,Fatorda Stadiums Out of Bounds For Coming I League

With Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) all set to meet FIFA requirements- for Goa to be selected as one of the six cities for the  FIFA 2017 Under 17 World Cup- the2015/2016 I League matches will have to be held either at GFA’s Duler stadium or some other  ground in Goa. “The Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Fatorda and the Tilak maidan in Vasco will not be available for this years I League,” stated SAG Executive Director Sandip Jacques.

The I league is tentatively scheduled to start in January 2016. “No dates have been finalised but the I League should start somewhere in January,” stated I League CEO Sunandho Dhar. “Like last season, teams will organise their home matches ,” added Dhar.

Goa has two teams in the I League-Salgaocar Football Club and Sporting Clube de Goa.  Surprisingly club officials of the two teams are unaware that the two stadiums will not be available.

“I don’t think adding two dressing rooms will keep the stadium out of our bounds. We are planning to have our matches at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, Fatorda,” stated Sporting CEO Victor Fernandes. “We have decided to use the Tilak maidan for our home games,” said Salgaocar FC secretary Adlear  D’cruz.

“FIFA has asked that we provide two additional dressing rooms in the west stand. Since the Fatorda stadium is used by FC Goa for its home matches, we have decided to start work only after December 23. We require around five to six months to finish the work. So, the ground will not be available,” stated Jacques.

Tilak maidan,Vasco  faces a similar problem. It has been set aside for FC Goa’s practise ground to start .The ground has been shortlisted as a practise ground for the World Cup too.“ Tilak maidan has been earmarked as a practise ground for the FIFA World Cup. Repair works to the tune of around 2.5 crores are required. It will not be available for the I League, too,’ explained Jacques.

The Duler ground was used for the I League in 2012/2013. The crowds came in numbers in that year. In comparison, the spectator participation was sparse, rather negligible, this year.

“Provided all the stake holders are there to support us, we are ready to take everyone along to make the ISL and the World Cup memorable events in terms of participation. FC Goa had a magical effect on crowd response. We cannot ask them to go out of the State. The I League was held in Duler before,” stated SAG’s Sandip Jacques.