Indian Football in Kuwait - The Winners and Losers

The KIFF League played under the auspices of Kuwait Indian Football Federation and officiated by IFRA referees provides Indian players with the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition, while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play - in perhaps one of India's only 11-aside league abroad.

League football is a test of players' skills, stamina and endurance. The Phase II of the league played in scorching summer heat was rigorous and nearly impossible at times. Just standing there in temperatures as high as 48°C can melt the skin, burn the feet and make the eyes breathe fire. The summer heat was not just the right weather for a final match of the league.

The League named after late Jerome Pascoal D'Mello (popularly known to all as JP D'Mello), Goa's first international football referee, consisted of 18 registered teams. The league which commenced in October last ended on July 18, 2008 with Navelim Youth Centre emerging champions in the final match. Navelim beat Kerala Challengers, Kuwait Goan Association and AVC in their last 3 encounters.

Winners and Losers
In the final match played at Salmiya Grounds, Navelim Youth Centre beat AVC-Kuwait in the tie-breaker 4-2 (Full time score 0-0).
Navelim have now won the league for a record 5 times followed by G.O.A. Maroons (3 times) since the establishment of the League in 1994-95.
DHL-Kuwait won the Third Place displacing mighty Kuwait Goan Association by a solitary goal in the other match of the day. Kuwait Goan's Andre Dias won the 'Top Scorer of the League', a gold coin presented by Ex-KIFF President Mr. V.K. Vohra.

Winning the League Championship was one of the sweetest achievements for Navelim for more reasons than one. Navelim is the only football club in Kuwait that can boast of maximum players (12 players in the first sixteen) from their own village in Goa.
Navelim played a unique formation of 4-5-1 with just one forward which was more suitable for the hot conditions where some players looked like 'fish floating on water about to be kicked to shore' towards the end of the match.
AVC defenders Francis Rodrigues, Peter and Joseph Quadros played well in the defence, while their other central defender played Jamaican fooball with the sole intention of kicking the ball anywhere but away - even out of reach of his own players.
Navelim played a passing game throughout that unsettled AVC time and again. Navelim built the moves right from their defence with John Furtado, Joaquim Rodrigues, Wilson and Alfred Pires initiating the moves. Their midfield had incredible control over the ball with man-of-the-match Seby Furtado running tirelessly and combining well with his team mates. Simao Gaunkar, Christi, Americo, Duarte Ferrao, Sidney Rodrigues and Ivo D'Costa played lot of passes between themselves before finishing off on AVC goal.
Savio Fernandes, Luciano D'Souza and Edward Dias were outstanding for AVC but the strikers Kevin Vaz, Melvy Fernandes, Ronnie Fernandes and Molvito Mascarenhas were overshadowed by Navelim defence. Navelim were unlucky not to have found the mark when Gasper Crasto's 30 yard free kick beat AVC goalkeeper Jose Fernandes and rebounded from the cross bar off the goal line.
The tie-breaker was enforced after the teams failed to break the deadlock even after extra time of play. Navelim goalkeeper Britto Pereira, whose diving in recent seasons was as sluggish as a python, showed tremendous reflexes in saving 2 penalties with flying, full length dives in the air, brining in memories of his glory days when he won accolades playing for Vasco Club, Churchill Brothers and the famous all-Goa champion tie-breaker club 'Dire Straits'.

The Champions:
The Champion team Navelim included Britto Pereira (goalkeeper), Wilson Pires, John Furtado, Alfred Pires, Joaquim Rodrigues, Simao Gaunkar, Christi Pires, Seby Furtado, Duarte Ferrao, Americo Fernandes, Gasper Crasto, Ivo D'Costa, Sidney Rodrigues, Victor Fernandes, Cruzedio Rodrigues, Kelvin Rodrigues, etc.
Coach: Gasper Crasto
Team Manager: Bernard Fernandes; Asst. Team Manager: Britto Pereira
President of Navelim: Mario Carneiro; Sports Secretary: Avelino Dias

Legacy of Indian Football Clubs in Kuwait
Football among Indian expatriates in Kuwait fulfils its function to divert one's mind from reality whilst bringing different communities together in unity.
All the Indian clubs in Kuwait have worked hard over the years to carve a niche in Indian football and keep the name of their clubs flying high. United Goans' Centre have been in the forefront for over 3 decades with their slogan 'Friendship Through Sports'. Santos Football Club, founded under the name of 'Apache' has been actively involved in the promotion of football activities since 1979. CRC Chinchinim have strived to boost Indian football since 1992. Curtocares United has promoted football activities since 1995. Kerala teams of Fahaheel Brothers, and Kerala Challengers have participated competitively with their teams and in the true spirit of the game. Youth Recreational Centre (Rising Stars), one of the formidable clubs have organized and played quality football and helped to take Indian Football to a high. Bombay Boys have also played a stellar role over the years for the upliftment of the game.
The current league Champions Navelim YC have always done an amazing job in the past to uphold its values and traditions, livng to its standards since the establishment of the club in 1987 - organizing football and promoting footballers. Navelim are among the top teams in Kuwait winning every trophy at stake, being proud holders of all 3 Silver Jubilee Trophies conducted in Kuwait - the UG Silver Jubilee Trophy (2002-03), Rising Stars Silver Jubilee Trophy (2003-04) and GOA Maroons Silver Jubilee Year Trophy (2004-05). Navelim's NYC Trophy tournament has completed 18 grand editions with the host (Navelim) winning the Championship for a record 6 times followed by G.O.A Maroons (5 times).
Goan Overseas Association popularly known as 'GOA Maroons' founded in 1979 have promoted friendship through football over the years. The strong bond of friendship that glues this club together can be seen everywhere, be it on the soccer field, off the field or the social front. Maroons have won many championships, perhaps the greatest of all being the 'Forest of Dean RA Trophy' organized by Hubara Club - at Ahmadi in the early 1980s, where, in the semifinal, Maroons defeated the mighty Hubara club which had players of European and Kuwaiti nationalities. They say, that was one of the most memorable game played by Indians in Kuwait - played at midnight on floodlit grounds which brought together hundreds of Goans in support and unity.

IFRA, KIFF and the JP D'Mello Memorial Trophy
The Indian Football Referees Association has been one organization which has given an immense goodwill to Indian football in Kuwait. Since 1980, the association has trained and recruited new referees as its members and provided services for football matches. The late JP D'Mello, Founder President of the Association was the one instrumental in forming the current Kuwait Indian Football Federation. His memory has been justly kept alive by KIFF through its affiliated Indian football teams/clubs/associations by naming the KIFF League after him.
The Kuwait Indian Football Federation established in 1983 controls all Indian expatriate football activities in Kuwait. In the just concluded season 2007-08, a total of 18 teams were registered with the federation with over 400 players displaying their skills every Friday morning. Apart from the League, 4 regular tournaments and 5 Seven-a-side tournaments are held under KIFF every season. The KIFF will celebrate 25 years of its existence in Kuwait next season.
For over 30 years, Indian clubs and associations have strived to ensure development of individual players while teaching the importance of team effort, fair competition, discipline and good sportsmanship.
Players, officials, clubs may come and go. But Indian football, for sure, will remain a Winner in Kuwait for a long time.

About the Writer: Gasper Crasto is a former National level player who played for Salgaocar SC between 1990 to 1999. Played in the National League and 2 Federation Cup finals - one against Mohun Bagan, other against East Bengal besides representing Goa at the Santosh Trophy.
Was awarded 'Athlete of the Year' in Kuwait in 2003, and is a current player/coach of League Champions Navelim Youth Centre.
Website: http://gaspersworld.tripod.com/

Photo's courtesy:Simon Dias