Custodio Almeida during his hey days was known for his uncompromising defensive duties on the left wing as he remained a terrifying presence for the strikers and an assurance for his team-mates.
The former wiry defender is now the team manager of Dempo Sports Club and a vital cog in the mechanism for the ‘Indian football kings’. In a brief chat with Toni Rodrigues, the ex-Santosh trophy winner comes out with some interesting revelations about his team
Q: Had you at the beginning expected such a runaway success for Dempo in the I-League?
CA: We knew, in fact everybody was aware that Dempo had the best team. We made changes so that we were much stronger than last year. There were some unsteady disconcerting moments on the way but our boys showed remarkable mentality to shake that off and get us six victories with two very crucial away wins over East Bengal and Mohun Bagan to get the maximum 18 points. No other team has done that and that’s the speciality of Dempo.
Q: All the big teams had succumbed to pressure, Dempo also had those horrors.
CA: We had but that was temporary. When you have such an understanding management, you don’t have the worries of a backlash. We don’t have people with high ignition. Take our president Mr Manu Rebello. He makes things so easy that you don’t feel like being isolated and our chief coach Armando, he doesn’t need a big voice to bring the boys on track. His motivation and his simple approach has been the essence of the fightback.
Q: Can you single out players who have made the difference?
CA: Everybody has played to their capabilities and some have performed beyond my imagination. It would be an injustice if I name a few. When Beto and Ranty were unavailable, we played with Goan players. It’s a pride for us having majority of local players. Our youngsters like Joaquim Abranches and Peter Carvalho have shown remarkable maturity, so it was wonderful team work with no egos and self-seeking interests and that’s why we are the champions and the team will be facilitated at a grand function in Panaji this Saturday (May 29).
Q: Dempo are gunning for continental honours. The AFC Cup is the priority now?
CA: We’ve done tremendously well in the past being the first team from India to make the semis which highlights our achievements, but if we do make the knock-out stage than the non-availability of the facilities here will have severe effect on our progress. The government should work on the installation of floodlights at Fatorda. Last time we had to play our home matches in Hyderabad without the presence of our fans and supporters. It’s a shame to play elsewhere when we now have the status of the top football state in the country.
Q: Dempo’s cream of players will be preoccupied with the national camp during the AFC Cup. Don’t you think there’s a need for new recruitments?
CA: The AIFF will be releasing the players; without them it is just unimaginable. All of them will be part of the AFC squad. As for recruitments, we’ll try to get four or five players. We require a couple of defenders, a midfielder and a striker and we’ll even go for a goalkeeper. But at the moment nobody has asked for a transfer and the best thing is that Beto and Ranty Martins have pledged to continue.
Q: That means Dempo will have only two imports like last season?
CA: I can say presently we have two. At least seven foreign players were interested and had sent feelers to us, but we decided we only need three, and only one more foreigner will
be recruited.
