Bond between Goa and football set to get stronger
As the FC Goa team goes about its training session at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Tuesday, a chiselled Frenchman struts onto the field. He seems to have aged a little, but there is an unmistakable aura around him.
The player is Robert Pires, the midfielder who famously marshalled club giant Arsenal to a record unbeaten 2003-04 English Premier League season. His 79-match international career was been equally impressive, with the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the Euro 2000 victories being the highlights.
Come Wednesday, when Pires’s side takes the field against Chennaiyin FC, the crowd will get its first opportunity to witness a host of big names in action. The Chennai franchisee boasts of a World Cup winner — Italian Marco Materrazi — in its ranks as well, apart from accomplished French defender Mikael Silvestre. The home team’s dugout will be led by Zico, nicknamed ‘White Pele’ and considered one of the all-time greats.
The purpose of this match, and indeed the entire tournament, however, is not to merely stargaze. It is imperative that everyone involved with Indian football learns from the presence of these proven performers.
Pires understands that his role extends to well beyond the field of play. “I’ve had a great career, but that is in the past. I am here for one thing — to help the Indian players learn from my experiences.
“Every morning, the local players ask me questions about football. I feel like a teacher; I feel a sense of responsibility towards the Indian players,” he said here after a FC Goa scrimmage.
Nearly all the ingredients needed for a perfect start to the teams’ ISL campaigns are present. The draining humidity and high temperatures here, however, will pose a challenge.
Silvestre touched upon the subject in his media address, as did Pires. The full house that is expected to throng the stadium will hope for more pleasant conditions, so the action can remain at full-tilt.
Even if the weather provides no respite, the already familiar bond between the people of Goa and football is set to get stronger.
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