the goan I network
PANAJI
Goa Football Development Council (GFDC) has been conducting this largest grassroots football development program for the last seven years in the country. Out of the 27 boys that recently graduated from the GFDC Residential Academy only three are still on trial with clubs.
For the last six years the talent that was being nurtured at the various grassroots centres was later inducted in the residential academy. The coaches have shaped these trainees with the basic fundamentals of the game.
Four Academy graduate boys from the GFDC Residential Academy were shortlisted for the U-16 Men’s National Team 2019 by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). Harsh Patre, Clarence Fernandes, Frevino Fernandes and Vellington Fernandes. The selection of these boys at the national level shows the quality training imparted at GFDC in grassroots football in the state.
Most of the boys have signed for Dempo SC, FC Goa, Salgaocar FC, Sporting Clube de Goa and Reliance Foundation Young Champs Academy in Mumbai. The GFDC Member Secretary, Aleixo Da Costa expressed pleasure over the residential academy training program turning out to be very successful.
“27 boys from the GFDC Residential Academy graduated few months ago. Some have made it to the India team and others in professional clubs. This is an important milestone as we are seven years old. The residential academy training program has been very successful and we have been able to develop young football players in the state. The council is proud of the achievement of the first out going batch. Few from our outgoing batch have made it to the India team and others in professional clubs,” he said.
Besides those who have graduated from the GFDC Residential Academy there are four others who have got an entry into an academy directly from their centres. The grassroots programme started by GFDC in 2012 has yielded quality players from the various centres across North and South Goa.
The GFDC Academy boys selected by (AIFF) Indian national team and professional clubs: 1) Aditya Salgaonkar – FC Goa, 2) Aniket Kerkar- Dempo SC, 3) Anish Gadar - Dempo SC, 4) Arnold Oliveira- Dempo SC, 5) Bradley Carvalho- Salgaocar FC, 6) Clarence Fernandes- Indian National Team U-16, 7) Frazer D’Costa- Salgaocar FC, 8) Frevino Fernandes- Indian National Team U-16, 9) Harsh Patre- Indian National Team U-16, 10) Mackenzie Fernandes- Dempo SC, 11) Maresto Fernandes- Sporting Clube de Goa, 12) Mevan Dias - FC Goa, 13) Mevzen Oliveira- Salgaocar FC, 14) Nathan Rodrigues - Reliance Foundation Young Champs Academy, Mumbai, 15) Pushkar Prabhu - Dempo SC, 16) Richard Carvalho - FC Goa, 17) Richard Fernandes - Salgaocar FC, 18) Saideep Pomburphekar- FC Goa, 19) Steve Carvalho - Salgaocar FC, 20) Utkarsh Khorjuvenkar- Dempo SC, 21) Vellington Fernandes - Indian National Team U-16, 22) Tahir Shaikh- Salgaocar FC, 23) Prince Singh- Sporting Clube de Goa, 24) Vishal Sunar- Salgaocar FC.
