MYJ and GMSC merge to form MYJ-GMSC, all set to dominate Mumbai Premier League

by Chittu Shetty October 30, 2023

In a historic move for Mumbai football, MYJ and GMSC have joined forces to create a new entity known as MYJ-GMSC and will take part in this year’s Mumbai Premier League

This dynamic merger has set the stage for their participation in the upcoming MFA Premier League, previously known as the MFA Elite Division. The announcement of this exciting collaboration took place during a grand event held at Wings Sports in Bandra, which saw the presence of notable figures, including Olympian and former Indian Hockey National Team Goalkeeper Adrian D’souza, former Indian National football players Godfrey Pereira, Robert Fernandes, and Jacinto D’silva, as well as renowned TV presenter Gaelyn Mendonca.

The brainchild of this merger, Joe Miranda, has been an integral figure in the football community for over a decade, having organized private and veteran tournaments. Speaking about the inception of MYJ-GMSC, he mentioned, “I wanted to get into professional leagues, and Vijith and Steven suggested Jeddy and GMSC, and that’s how it came about.” Miranda expressed great confidence in the team’s abilities, stating, “I know the team is going to do well; that’s how confident I am about them. The players who signed with us understand that we are here for the long run and are dedicated to elevating Mumbai football.”

GMSC, which stands for Goalorious Mother Sports Club, was founded decades ago by John Almeida and like MYJ had started the club taking part in private tournaments across the city and country eventually getting into the Mumbai Leagues. His son, Jeddy Almeida, has expertly run the club. The club has consistently performed well in the top tier of Mumbai football, the Elite Division since 2018, and has established itself as one of the city’s leading football clubs. John Almeida, who was also a committee member in the Mumbai Football Association, had a vision of nurturing local talent and providing opportunities for players to grow and succeed.

Talking about the merger GMSC owner Jeddy said, “My Father John Almedia has been very instrumental in starting GMSC not only for the players who played for the club but also for allowing me to grow in this. His dream was to give a lot of the players of Mumbai the opportunity to grow and move up and that is what Joe wants to do too with MYJ. So this is a perfect merger and I hope the team steps up for it.”

On the other hand, MYJ, established in 2008 and a brainchild of Agnelo Picardo and later led by Joe Miranda, initially participated in private tournaments across India. Encouraged by former India International Steven Dias and Maharashtra State Captain Vijith Shetty, Joe Miranda decided to venture into the professional setup of the Mumbai Football Association. MYJ first made its mark in MFA’s Veterans Football League, remaining undefeated on their way to lifting the title. The merger with GMSC is the next step in their journey towards professionalism.

The MYJ-GMSC team is set to be led by Kamlesh Nadar, who brings a wealth of experience, including winning the I-League 2nd Division and CFL titles with clubs like Real Kashmir and DSK Shivajians. The deputy captain will be Tejas Raut, a Maharashtra Santosh Trophy defender. Perhaps the biggest name in the squad would by India International Keegan Pereira, the 35-year-old left-back has been part of some of the biggest clubs in India like Bengaluru FC, ATK, East Bengal and others over the years.

The squad also boasts several accomplished players, such as Allen Dias, Umesh Prembra, Shanon Pereira, Dhurwesh Nijap, and Vinod Pandey, representing Maharashtra in the Santosh Trophy.

Additionally, the team includes experienced players like Akshay Pashilkar, Adithyan P, Tanmay Talgaonkar, and Manoj Gupta, who have played in the I-League 2nd Division. The squad features talent from Goa Pro League and CFL, with players like Shamer Swamy, Dipu Neupane, and Athang Kanekar. Not to forget, the team also includes stars from the Mumbai Elite Division, such as Nayan Kajve, Kartik Raju, Sumeet Salian, and Pravin Kumavat. The young blood in the squad is represented by Sujal Ghanekar and Vedant Sawant.

Adding an international flair to the mix is Atharv Dandekar, who previously had stints in Segunda Regional and Primera Regional in Madrid.

The coaching and support staff includes Head Coach Vijith Shetty, a National Games Bronze Medalist and Santosh Trophy player, Manuel D’souza as the Strength and conditioning Coach, and Sarfaraz Ansari as the Goalkeeper Coach. Jonathan Creado and Sujit Pawar will take on the roles of Team Managers.

With this merger, MYJ-GMSC is all set to make waves in the MFA Premier League and take Mumbai football to new heights. The fusion of these two esteemed clubs promises a bright future for football in the city, and fans can expect an exciting and competitive season ahead.

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