Tata Steel to Qatar Steel, Goa over Jamshedpur to Doha

Goa and Bengal share an uneasy relationship on the football field. A rivalry which starts from the top clubs from the twin states and extends to the fierce, inter-state rivalry. But leaving the football field rivalry aside, former football international Flaviano Leitao struck the cupid arrow through the heart of a Benagli girl to tie the marriage knot.

If drinking tones of milk gives Jamshedpur boy and the new sensation of Indian cricket Mahndra Singh Dhoni, fifteen years down the line it was the calories from eating tone and tones of prawns, lobsters from Goa gave former India international footballer Flaviano Leitao his kicks on the football field.
Leitao has long sad good bye to competitive football and from the Steel town of Jamshedpur, even India he has made his way to Doha to be part of the Qatar Steel work force.
Prawns and lobsters continue to be his favourite fish and he for one makes sure he gets his quota when he divides his annual one month holiday hoping between Goa, Calcutta and Nepal.

As a youngster Leitao grew in a football atmosphere. He for one was over awed by the situation when international footballers from his village the likes of the caliber of Mauricio Afonso, played and practiced along the kids in the village.
The flame and hunger for success on the field came much latter. He for one wondered when his occasion will come to be seen on TV every time Mauricio picture came on the TV.
Recalling the early days he remembers that as youngster in the mid-80s when only a few people used to have TV sets in Goa he for one used to watch the matches from one place, along with other youths from the village, he adds.
For the unknown, Chinchinim village in South Goa produced football players by the dozens with a galaxy of internationals till the early 90's.

From Tata Steel to Qatar Steel, Faviano Leitao has come a long way. He had his shares of exploits on the football field busting into the national scene as a teenager and then suddenly fading. He came back but struggled to find the same fluency which was his trademark when he first made a mark on the national team. In between his come back, Leitao has a narrow brush with death.
He for one lay on the hospital bed unconscious for three days, after an elbow blow from Mohammedan Sporting Club defender Christopher nearly dealt the fatal blow on Leitao life.
The Tata's for one made sure he got the best of medical attention and he was flown to Chennai and plans were afoot to lift to a foreign country for treatment. He for one fondly remembers the sterling role of Russi Modi and his deep underlying principles and ideas which were appreciated by all Tata boys.
"Modi Sir was instrumental in getting the Sao Paulo football academy training methods incorporated in the academy" he says.
"Tata have taken care to prepare life after football and the two training which I got at Tata Steel helped to get a job here" he recollects.

"After marriage I lost interest in football. I was no longer enjoying my football and then I called it quits," he reminiscences of his decision to hang his boots.

Qatar is a different experience, having spend seven years in Bihar, he adds.

On his wish to go out of the game by scoring a Bicycle kick. He could live up to it in the national and international matches but the goal he scored in Dubai through a reverse volley would forever remained etched in his memory and the handful football fans who were present for the match.
Leitao bust into the international scene with foreign coach Joseph Gelei was at the helm of affairs in the Nehru tournament in Kerala in 1990. Blessed with speed, his speedy thrust and his gallops down the flanks made his a threat to the rival defence. Leitao for one who was on the verge of being send home for the Tata Football Academy found himself into the national team.
The Chinhinim youngster got his initial football lessons at his village school of Mount Mary's under late Sanny Rodrigues and their major trophy they won the Subroto cup in Delhi playing under the name of NCC eleven.
The followed the Sub-Junior nationals under coach Levino Dias, where TFA scouts spotted him and took him under their wings. One soul he does not wish to forget over the years is AIFF secretary Alberto Colaco whom he says played a key role when he was Salcete FC as a junior player.

On the numerous foreign exposure trips that the TFA boys got he relished the trips in each of the countries and he affectionately remembers Germany where he found his idol Lee Basik
"In Germany we were given training as per the football development program of the Germans and we were able to match their team effectively. It was a pleasure playing in Germany. We toured Holland, Norway, Denmark, France, Indonesia and Singapore," he adds.

As for development of Indian football, he feels India has to go a long way in terms of physical fitness, tactical situation. Till then Flaviano Leitao savours the fruits of his labour on the football field and his mind go wandering into the past when he watches a defender winding his way into the rival area and a score a goal.