GFA gets cracking, set for punitive action against clubs

The Goa Football Association has threatened to take punitive action including suspension against clubs who refuse to release players for the Lusofonia Games camp.

The GFA has selected 25 players for the Lusofonia Games camp and plan to kick start preparations two days after the conclusion of the Goa Super League on November 20. Planning a long camp is fundamental to Goa's chances in the nine-team competition that kick starts on January 18, 2014, but clubs are unwilling to release their key players in the midst of a busy I-League campaign and, then, the Federation Cup in January.

"The committee decided that if clubs refuse, action will be taken against them. They have to comply with GFA directives," GFA executive committee member Savio Messias said after a meeting in the city on Friday.

According to GFA guidelines, clubs who refuse to release players for state duty will not be eligible to field them for any other tournaments until the conclusion of the main tournament.

The GFA tried to kick start their preparations a fortnight ago by involving players from non I-League clubs but that move received a poor response with only nine players turning up for duty.

When the camp restarts on November 22, clubs could still play hardball as the likes of Salgaocar Football Club, Dempo Sports Club, Sporting Clube de Goa and Churchill Brothers are still involved in the I-League and will have a minimum of six games to play before the break in late December.

The I-League mandates the compulsory use of at least one under-23 player in the starting line-up, throwing youngsters into unexpected focus. The Lusofonia Games is an under-21 event.

In January, there is the Federation Cup -- overlapping with the Lusofonia Games -- to play and clubs like Sporting Clube de Goa have made it clear that they will need at least two of the four selected probables on duty.

The GFA has made Lino Pereira as technical director of the Lusofonia Games squad while Robert Fernandes will be assistant to Portuguese coach Francisco Neto, who will arrive in Goa on December 2. Neto has demanded a minimum of 55 training sessions with the team before the opening match of the Lusofonia Games.

The goalkeeping coach will be a toss between Seby Noronha and Richard Sanchez.

Anthony Pereira, previously a part of the Lusofonia Games coaching staff, will now be assisting coach Vishwas Gaonkar during preparations for the Santosh Trophy.