MARGAO: India chief coach Bob Houghton has attracted the ire of hardcore Dempo Sports Club supporters and fans after his outburst against the club on a local channel, demanding that the club be penalised and suspended from I-League.

The Englishman had voiced about the possible sanctions on the former I-League champions for not releasing their star defenders Mahesh Gawli and Sameer Naik for the India camp, which was termed as ‘poor judgment’ from a well-travelled personality by the Azurri fans.
Joaquim Fernandes and Marcelo Carvalho from Benaulim felt that Dempo had a genuine case with both Mahesh and Sameer being injured for a considerable period of time and their absence had largely affected Dempo’s progress in the first phase of the I-League.
“We are not bragging of Dempo but since since we follow every match we’re absolutely sure that the absence of Mahesh and Sameer had a telling effect on the performance of Dempo and they are lagging behind. It’s ridiculous that these players who had missed so many crucial matches were called for the camp in the first place. It is a futile exercise and amateurish on the part of coach Houghton to make a comment against Dempo, especially after he took charge of Indian football with a great deal of reputation and credibility behind him,” Joaquim and Marcelo expressed. The duo’s views were further supported by Jack Rodrigues, Toni Rodrigues and Bobby Crasto, who felt that the Indian coach should not draw any comparisons or example with foreign teams considering the enormous gap that exists between Indian and European football. “European football is miles ahead of us. There’s a professional setup in everything and most importantly they do not pick up injured players for national duties, what example can we give?,” the fans felt. Adding further they highlighted the case of Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo as he was not released by Real Madrid for the vital clash against Bosnia in a World Cup play-off. “If Ronaldo’s was a case in point, then Houghton being a knowledgeable person should realise that injured players are not selected for national duty. He has done extremely well in taking India for the Asia Cup and people do expect a lot from him, but directing his ire against a club of Dempo’s stature, at the instance of two injured players is not sensible at all.”
Houghton’s comments also came in for sharp critisim from Dempo die-hard supporters from Chinchinim, Assolna, Margao, St Jose de Areal and Curtorim , the village of Dempo chief coach Armando
Colaco.
There was plenty of support for Dempo from Curtorim as well as most fans blasted Houghton for his indiscrete comments. Maxy Fernandes said that Bob seems to think only about the Federation and not about the welfare of club and players. “Is Bob the supreme God of Indian football?”, questioned Alex Dias from Curtorim blasting Houghton for selecting injured players for Indian camp. “There has been lot made out of Mahesh and Sameer’s absence. Bob is certainly addressing the wrong issues. He should get his priorities right. What about the issue of playing a friendly against Iraq after FIFA’s suspension?,” queried Luis Fernandes.