Newly-appointed India U-23 National Team coach Derrick Pereira has a coincidental but fascinating connection with the Tilak Maidan in Goa where the youngsters are preparing for the forthcoming AFC U-23 Championship qualifiers.

The 56-year-old coach started his playing career with Mangor Sports Club (Vasco) when he was just 15 years old. After playing for the Vasco-based club for two years, he got a call-up from Mundvel Club who were regulars in the Goa Senior Division League.

Within one year, Pereira got his first professional contract from none other than Salgaocar FC before he blew out the 18th year candle. Thereafter, he got his coaching credentials and now has been appointed as the U-23 Head Coach, one can only wonder the importance of Tilak Maidan in his life.

“Even I couldn’t believe it first when I came to know that practice sessions will be held at the Tilak Maidan for this camp. My professional playing career started here, even my first coaching (National stage) session I took here and now our first National team assignment too. It’s a nice coincidence, I must say and I’ll relive it always,” Pereira shared with www.the-aiff.com.

“After playing for Mangor and Mundvel for three years, it was really great, especially, for a 17-year-old boy like me to get a contract from Salgaocar. During the days in Mangor, we used to play at the Tilak Maidan only,” Pereira recalled.

On being asked about his first match, he rattled, “It was in January 1981 and the match was against Vasco. I was a little nervous thinking about playing at the Tilak Maidan again, that too against Vasco. Unfortunately, I miscalculated an aerial ball in the 10th minute and got a deep cut on my forehead. Coach didn’t think twice to replace me.”

After hanging his boots in 1999, he started assisting Norbert Gonsalves who was the coach of Salgaocar U-19 team. Then, after a short stint with the Goa U-21 team as the team manager, he was offered the coaching role of Vasco Sports Club. And from there, as they say, the rest is history.

“I say, it was nothing but God’s plan for me. Peter Vales took me as the team manager to Dumka (Jharkhand) with the Goa U-21 team. After coming back, Vasco offered me to coach their team for a week. I didn’t think twice before saying yes and there started my coaching career, that too at the very Tilak Maidan,” Pereira took a walk down the memory lane gleefully.

After qualifying for the National Football League from the Second Division in the 2000-01 season, Pereira continued with Vasco Sports Club for 5 years before taking up the reins of the star-studded Mahindra United Club in 2005. 19 years after starting his coaching career, the former international defender has been provided with his first-ever national team assignment to take the U-23 boys to the first-ever continental championship finals.

“After 15-20 years, it’ll be an interesting tale to share with my grandchildren, I must say”, Pereira said while he burst out in laughter, “Probably, it was something which God had planned for me beforehand. I have grown at this ground and now, it’s great to have the training sessions here before the Asian Championship.”

The India U-23 contingent will play a friendly match against Qatar U-23 National Team in Doha on March 11, 2019.

AIFF MEDIA

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The camp is being held as part of India’s preparation for the upcoming AFC U-23 Championship 2020 qualifiers which are slated to be held in Tashkent from March 22, 2019.

38 players have been summoned for the camp with 19 have joined so far. The rest will be dropping in after finishing their respective club commitments, both at the domestic level and also at the AFC Cup.

Not less than 8 players who had represented India in the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017, have also been called up. Overall, 11 players from India Arrows will be in action at the camp.

“It is important to get all the players together,” Coach Pereira maintained. “All the boys are coming back at the end of a long season. Ashique (Kuruniyan), Jerry (Lalrinzuala), Hitesh (Sharma) are ruled out. All of them will be badly missed,” he informed. “We need to check the niggles and fitness levels of all in the camp. We cannot afford to lose anyone anymore.”

Nishu Kumar, Anirudh Thapa, Mohd. Nawaz and Sairuatkima haven’t been able to join this camp owing to their club commitments, while Ashique Kuruniyan, Sahil Panwar and Jerry Lalrinzuala have been ruled out courtesy injuries and Hitesh Sharma is suffering from chicken pox.

The squad will be flying to Doha to play a friendly match against Qatar U-23 National Team before the continental championship qualifiers.

“I am very excited to play Qatar. I feel most of the boys from that team will go on to play in the FIFA World Cup in 2022. It will be a tough test.”

AIFF MEDIA

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The last time these two teams met in Kozhikode the game had ended in a 1-1 draw. Churchill need a win to stay alive in the title race.

Churchill has been more effective despite both teams playing an enterprising brand of football so far.

It may be noted that Gokulam hasn’t won a game in two months!

The home team has maintained its position in the top half of the league despite losing key players to injuries.

“I know its very difficult to win the championship. Now that we are in the fifth position, it is very important for our players to try their best to win, as theoretically, we can but practically, we will see,” said Churchill’s Romanian coach Petra Gigiu.

He also spoke on missing out on key players during match-day: “Tomorrow’s match is not an easy game. It’s a good team and their players work hard. Nenad will be missing tomorrow’s match because of his booking but Eldor will be making his comeback tomorrow and Plaza too, which can be of advantage to our team. We will try to come back and score in tomorrow’s game.”

Kerala coach Bino George on the other hand has had problems with his foreign recruits.

Marcus Joseph, who top-scored in the Trinidad & Tobago Pro-League, may make his Gokulam debut on Thursday.

Joel Sunday, who appeared in three games, has been released. Antonio German’s departure didn’t help matters either. George also brought in Ghana’s Christian Sabah and Ivory Coast’s Arthur Kouassi to bolster the attack.

George who expects a lot from his new recruits had this to say: “Recently we have two new strikers, Marcus Joseph from Trinidad & Tobago and Charles from Ghana, so the team is hoping to play well. I know the Goans have good foreign players. Our style of playing is attacking football and after the two new strikers have joined, our team’s confidence levels have increased.”

Confidence will be the keyword for George’s team as Churchill have Willis Plaza, Dawda Cessay and Anthony Wolfe in their ranks. The trio has scored 14 of Churchill’s 19 goals so far and would test Gokulam’s defenders to the hilt!

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Said Andre Santos post his training session,”It is a pleasure that I got a chance to come to Goa. People received me very warmly. I am a bit tired because of the long journey but I am glad to be here. It is really amazing training with Zico and Robert Pires. The whole team accepted me warmly on the first day itself and i am sure we will put forward a very good tournament”

Talking about Andre Santos, coach Zico said,” It is really good that Andre Santos has come over in to the squad. He was the last piece that was missing, now we are a full team. His quality and experience will help the team a lot. Even though’ he has come in late, the team has accepted him and they are very excited too.

A youth product of Figueirense in Brazil, Santos participated and helped Brazil capture the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. He joined EPL team Arsenal from Fenerbache in 2011 and eventually moved to Brazil to play with Gremio followed by Flamengo.

At the national level, André Santos was initially considered the heir to the throne occupied by Roberto Carlos. He represented the ‘Seleção’ in 24 matches, and was a part of the 2009 Confederations Cup, 2010 FIFA World Cup, and 2011 Copa America squads.

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FC Goa marquee player Robert Pires begins training with the team

Said Robert Pires post the training session, “It’s been a good first day. It’s a good feeling. I’m excited about the ISL and I think it’s going to be a big success. It’s an honour being coached by the legend Zico. I’ve enjoyed my first day of training”

Speaking on his first thoughts on Goa and India said Robert, “I received a warm welcome in Mumbai when I arrived and in Goa when I landed yesterday. It was nice to see so many fans who came to welcome me. I didn’t expect it. It was a pleasure. Thank you very much for the welcome.”

Pires was part of the French national squad which won the 1992 and 2000 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Euro finals respectively. He also represented France in the 1996 Olympic Games.

Pires’s club career is a trail of glory too. As a player he peaked during his six-year stint at Arsenal from 2000-06, where he was part of the squad which won three FA cups and two Premier League titles. He was also a part of the Arsenal squad nicknamed ‘The Invincibles’ which remained unbeaten through the season of 2003-04.

Pires has also represented FC Metz, Marseille, Villareal, Aston Villa and has played over 500 games in his career spanning over two decades. In the 79 games he played as a French international, Pires scored 14 goals.

Training has begun in full swing. FC Goa will train twice a day, Monday to Saturday at Tilak Maidan at 8am and 4pm.

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Pires’ (40) career is a glittering testimony to his on-field achievements be it for his club or country. Pires was part of the French national squad which won the 1992 and 2000 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Euro finals respectively. He also represented France in the 1996 Olympic Games.

Pires’s club career is a trail of glory too. As a player he peaked during his six-year stint at Arsenal from 2000-06, where he was part of the squad which won three FA cups and two Premier League titles. He was also a part of the Arsenal squad nicknamed ‘The Invincibles’ which remained unbeaten through the season of 2003-04.

Pires has also represented FC Metz, Marseille, Villareal, Aston Villa and has played over 500 games in his career spanning over two decades. In the 79 games he played as a French international, Pires scored 14 goals.
Pires will begin practice sessions with team FC Goa starting tomorrow at Tilak Maidan.

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