FC Goa get clearance for Goa Pro League

Panaji: FC Goa fans have all the reason to cheer about ahead of the upcoming

Goa Professional League

after the Goa Football Association (

GFA

) gave the nod to the Indian Super League franchise’s developmental side to participate in the state league.

The GFA had earlier approved a plan for a 12-team Goa Pro League starting this season, paving the way for FC Goa to make its debut in the top tier of Goan football.

FC Goa had to pay the association a fee of Rs 30 lakh for the direct entry and a separate security deposit of Rs 20 lakh. The GFA had given August 29 as the deadline.

For now, the association asked FC Goa to pay Rs 15 lakh as part of the entry fee and Rs 10 lakh as deposit. The balance amounts, Rs 15 lakh fee and Rs 10 lakh deposit, will have to be paid by January 31, 2018.

“We just got the confirmation from GFA yesterday (Monday). Basically our developmental team consists of all Under-23 boys and our main aim is to give them exposure through competitions which is very vital. We have a long-term vision for the team. The boys will then be drafted in the ISL’s senior side,” said FC Goa vice-president of operations Rahul Rodrigues.

FC Goa is also keen to field their junior teams (U-14, U-15, U-18) in the state leagues. They will also take part in the

Taca Goa

Under-20 league which is likely to commence from September 18.

GFA president

Elvis Gomes

said, “It’s not about FC Goa. It’s about a decision taken last year to get two teams who were willing to invest through direct entry . It was about finding platform for many good players who didn’t have one. This year, three teams had shown interest out which FC Goa agreed to join.”

This season the GFA, under the leadership of Gomes, decided to adopt a pyramid system for competitions. The executive committee approved the plan for 12 teams in the Goa Professional League, 14 teams in the GFA First Division League, 40 teams in the GFA Second Division League and the remaining in the GFA Third Division League.

FC Goa’s developmental side is trained by Derrick Pereira and consists of promising talents like Liston Colaco, Aaren D’Silva, Princeton Rebello, Kingslee Fernandes among others.

The Goa Pro League is set to commence in the last week of September or the first week on October. However, FC Goa’s first test will be at the AWES (Association for the Wellbeing of Elder Sportpersons) Cup which starts from September 1 at Duler Stadium in Mapusa.