Joshuah Vaz - Of 'Josh '& dreams come true...

"It takes a community to raise a youngster" goes a Goan maxim. When its football; it's Goan Football sorority that kicks it off! Goa has seen a small number of devoted souls; effectively slog in this course - Quest for football distinction, via youth development.
Consequent to Youth Coach Lino Pereira and Shalom Pires and Arnold Cardoso's month long stay at Porto; it's Joshua Vaz. The 16-year-old boarded a flight to take him to the Guimaraes district of Portugal on 30th January 2007, to train for 5 months at an academy allied to the high-status Portuguese side 'Clube Vitoria de Guimaraes'. A flight that may well send gifted 'Josh' soaring in 'planet futbol' should the academy choose to retain him. This is a victory for the talented, modest aof Joshua & family, school and village; for Goan football, but most notably 'one more one in the goal' for GFA's secretary Savio Messias. Instrumental in setting the ball rolling, and signing the MOU between GFA and University of Porto vis-à-vis, youth development could well go down the annals of Goan football history as 'THE MASTER STROKE' and a small but significant example of how far we (India) can go if we dream united for football... writes Zena Costa.

Hailing from Fatorda (a suburb of Goan commercial capital Margao) the PJN Stadium locale considered the hub of Goan football Joshuah Vaz a student of RMS higher Secondary School Margao, is a incredibly talented boy who has played for various clubs in Goa as well as represented GOA in the Under-15 and Under-18 nationals and donned the India colours when the Under-16 national team visited Portugal 2 years ago at 13.
Hailing from football background, Joshuah who is with the Salgaocar SC U-18 side is the son of former Footballer Soccoro Vaz, currently the P.E Instructor at The Manovikas Trust.
Eyes alight with anticipation the hard working lad who has guards leaden-footed and goalies dumb struck with his grounders and aerial prowess as striker was a regular 16 year old when telling the local media at a press briefing, "I have been dreaming of training in Portugal .I have great memories of my trip there and now that this opportunity is here its like a dream". GFA secretary Messias whose focal point as secretary has been the youth development stated, "It's a major break through for us... Apart from the GFA it wouldn't have been possible if without the encouragement to Joshuah from family and well wishers and his parents relentless pursuit to find their son a sponsor who finally materialized in UK-based Goan Douglas Fernandes. We are proud to be sending another a player to Portugal to avail of the best training. Though its not for the first time Joshuah has a chance and talent to impress and perhaps be retained by the academy after the 5 month stint-that would be a milestone, said Savio Messias and added, "Coach Daniel has helped tremendously..GFA also has a lot of plans with Portugal. The GFA Under-15 team has received an invite to play in a Portuguese tourney in June and also under go a short training stint and practice matches before the tourney," concluded Messias. Joshuah Vaz's Higher Secondary School also pitched in letting Joshua take his term exam early so that academics wouldn't suffer; deserves a mention.
Joshua's trip to the academy was made feasible merit to former Porto Alumnus and Portuguese football Coach and educationist Daniel Barreira who is in Goa as part of the GFA-Porto MOU and working on the GFA youth development programme. Coach Daniel who undertook most of the requisite protocol with the University of Porto in case of Coach Lino, Shalom and Arnolds trip as well as this fine break for Joshuah Vaz. "I have watched Joshuah from Close quarters, and I'm impressed with his skills .Even my predecessor Joao Brito had described Joshuah as a fine talent." Says Daniel who caries forward the work of Joao Britto and Coach Rui Manuel Pedro (both of Porto) who preceded him according to the MOU.

INBOX 1 - Porto for Goan Football
Porto Alumni Joao Brito's 6 months with GFA focused on meticulous research and converged into a comprehensive blueprint, which was zest fully, booted on field by Coach Rui Manuel Pedro also of Porto University who arrived in August'06 taking charge of the Goan squad for Lusofonia Games. Daniel Barreira is the 3 rd Portuguese national currently working on GFA's mammoth 9 under age teams.
The results speak-The GOA U-20 squad at the Lusofonia Games (an equivalent of the British Commonwealth; albeit for former Portuguese Colonies) beat MACAU-CHINA 3-0 and put up a fight before going down to world Cup side Angola 2-O.Angola won the tourney and Goa's teens....well, dint really 'LOSE' that one. When Football comes from Goa..it comes from the heart. Goa Under 20 v/s World Cuppers Angola? The score board can be blip at times... default in naming victor and loser? When what counts in Goa...is not if if you won or lost..but how you played the game.

INBOX 2 - GFA Youth Development - from tea leaves to Café Au lait
Goa's Youth Football Development Programme was launched in 1998, with from Kannan Devan Tea Company. The Youth Development Programme, faced the regular teething problems; has taken shape and looks ready to go places with the U-15 boys off to Portugal......come June 2007...
The new Youth Development Committee, headed by former GFA secretary Jose Antonio Botelho mooted a change of policy, set up a new system that enables the continuity of the programme at a centre through the various age groups. The GFA is also focused on developing coaches for grassroot level development. Like the game this endeavor relies on teamwork-Each, true to his role.
Goa Football Associaton Secretary Savio Messias can be proud to have what is arguably the finest youth development focus in Indian football. The GFA doesn't have a loaded treasury or a state of the art stadium to beat the heavy downpour. The association it comes into view as weather (and other obstacle )beaters -Thanks to the Parvabai Chowgule College Trust ,Margao. Goa, a tiny dot on map India has thrown up remarkable football talent, the state can likewise be proud to have an artificial surface facility –the first of its kind in the country for football.
The GFA's mammoth Youth development programme focuses on all Year round training for varied age groups, without monsoon lay off to keep promising youngsters active and under constant tutelage, aimed toward quality players for Goa and with larger picture of the Indian football scenario in mind.
"We are having residential camps during vacations and when schools re-open we continue with weekend residential Friday-Sunday to ensure continuity. Care will be taken to avoid examination periods so academics do not suffer and also varied sports competitions..In each category whether or not AIFF has competition for these age groups. My ultimate goal is to have 9 Fine State teams for Goa." Says Messias. Currently GFA is focusing on age groups inclusive of and amid U-10- to U-21
"The outcome will be similar students going through educational Institutions. Players graduating through varied age groups and will be fit .In technique, tactics and mentally should they turn pro". Queried if GFA had any financial backing from the AIFF or any Sports Authorities or Government toward this endeavor, Messais replied in the negative;" Briefing further on this laudable initiative Youth Development Plan under the chairmanship of Jose Botelho ,this writer was informed , that residential camps are underway with 25 footballers in each category selected from a 100 footballers from 4 zones. With the Portugal bound u-15's getting set...GFA 's youth development Programme has seen tuff turf and moved form tea leaves to Cafe Au lait.

INBOX 3 - You ought to know... Savio Messias
GFA Secretary Savio Messias a Goalie as a schoolboy kept football passion going with his close association with Vasco FC.
Elected to the prestigious but surely amid the toughest jobs in a football crazy (but not so 'pro' in approach to it) Goa, as Secretary–Goa Football Association in 2003. GFA's prime soldier doesn't have a degree in administration and yet is one of the most trusted and respected names in the field. What he may lack in 'schooling', Messias who in his tenure has taken the knocks from unfair critics more than makes up with hard slog, his love for the game evident to the most thick skinned of us all.
If football is about passion than Messias is a walking talking ambassador of how one can a excel…Catch him amid his jam packed schedule and without him saying a word you hear "When you love what you do; it's a joy –it ceases to be a chore", The right man (for Goan Football) at he right time. Unlike the majority, Messias is more 'hands-on-lets-do- it' than 'boss'. Does Goa have a football Messia(h)s? Time will tell.In the meantime the former goalie makes certain –Goan Football is indisputably in safe hands.

INBOX 4 - And these Guys pitched in...
Big names today... most of These prominent names started off coaching careers and aided GFA's Youth Development prog in nascent stages in late 80's under then GFA secretary and current AIFF Secretary Alberto Colaco.
Marcus Pacheco, Brahmanand Shankhwalkar, Baptist Fernandes, Mariano Dias, Mahesh Lotlikar, Derrick Pereira, Mauricio Afonso, John Countinho, Visticao Lobo, Anthony Fernandes, Augustine Dias, Micky Rebello, Savio Madeira and Raymond Carvalho. Anthony Fernandes, secretary of the Youth Programme Committee, deployed the coaches to whichever Centre as needed.
At Raia along with Arlem Youth, coach Savio Madeira had 63 boys under him while at Chandor along with Chandor Club, 32 boys trained under the guidance of Marian Dias and Oswald D'Costa. At Chinchinim along with CRC Chinchinim Club, 30 boys attended with Mahesh Lotlikar and Oscar Costa as coaches. At Velim with the support of Cuncolim Union, 32 boys attended, Benjamin Silva being the coach assisted by Amstrong Vaz. At Vasco with Vasco Sports Club, Derrick Pereira and Raymond Gomes trained 20 boys. At Navelim along with Navelim Sporting, Ricky Rebello coached 28 boys. In Assagao, along with the Assagao Football Academy, 28 boys attended with Anthony as the coach. At Taleigao, the Sao Minguel club roped in 22 boys to be trained by Maurice Almeida and Selwyn Fernandes. At Morjim, David D'Souza coached 20 boys while at Arpora 28 boys were under the guidance of Augustine and was organised with Holiday Sports Club. At Fr Agnel, Pilar there were 45 boys being trained by Mac Rodrigues and Francis Raposo (courtesy www.goa-fa.com)