captaion: The newly announced Goa team for Santosh Trophy display their new Kingfisher jersey at a function held in a city hotel on Saturday. Coach Mariano Dias and other officials are also seen.  Nandesh Kambli | NT
photo: sp1

PANAJI: The Goa Football Association (GFA) on Saturday announced a 20-member squad for the 64th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2009- 2010, which began in Kolkata from July 15 and will conclude on August 8.
Four times winners and defending champions Goa,  led by Felix D’souza, will play their first match against Kolkata on July 29 at 3.30 p.m. and will later take on Punjab on July 31 at 6 p.m. in their second match. The team is scheduled to leave on Tuesday, July 27 by flight to Kolkata.  
Coach Mariano Dias, who is eyeing the defence of the Santosh trophy title for the second time under his coaching, conceded that compared to last year’s team, the present team with ten new faces is weaker on the striking line. But he was confident that the others players chosen are quite capable of playing at any positions and hence managing the on-field business should not be an issue for them.
“Our team is a mixture of youth and experience. I have faith in my boys who show lot of promise and I am confident that they will defend their title. We have lot of promising talent and I am happy with the way things have gone so far,” said Mariano.
When asked about the specific reasons for the omission of Joaquim Abranches who was a member of the last year’s winning squad, Mariano said Joaquim was reported with injury and hence was not included. 
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Savio Messais, Honorary Secretary of the Goa Football Association said, “The Santosh Trophy is a tournament which is very sentimental and dear to the Goan fans. A victory at this tournament makes every Goan proud. Since the inception of this tournament in 1941, Goa have won it just four times and once Goa were the joint winners with Bengal.”
Mr Savio sounded sceptical about Goa’s chances this time as he thought Goa would be playing on the home turf of arch-rivals Bengal in the absence of many star players who could not make it to the team due to the national camp and injuries. He however, in a lighter vein, said that he is no ‘Paul the octopus’ to predict the result but hoped that a bunch of talented players who are very eager to go to the battlefield and regain the trophy would not let down the Goan football fraternity.
Mr V M Prabhudessai, Director of Sports Authority of Goa, who was present on the dais wished the team all the very best and also conveyed the wishes on behalf of the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat and Sports Minister, Mr Manohar Azgaonkar. 
Mr Govind Tiwari, Divisional Vice President, Kingfisher–UB Group, said that the Santosh Trophy is one of the most popular football championships in the country and Kingfisher is proud to be associated with the Goan Football team. He wished the Goan team all the very best and expressed confidence that the team will make all Goans proud by bringing the Santosh Trophy back home again.
Speaking on behalf of Procam International, Mr Ajit R said, “ Procam International is indeed proud of its association with the Goa Professional League, and would like to wish the Goa State team all the very best as they embark on the defence of their National title.”
The travelling and kitting of team will be taken care of by “Kingfisher”, the sponsors of the Goa Professional Football League, promoted by Procam International.
Earlier, a grand fashion parade was organised to showcase the new team jersey and later the team was
taken through the streets of Panaji in a road parade.
Squad: Felix D’souza (captain), Laxmikant Kattimani, Mathew Gonsalves, Rowilson Rodrigues, Covan Lawrence, Fulgencio Cardozo, Adil Khan, John Dias, Denzil Franco, Godwin Franco, Savio Carneiro, Joseph Pereira, Wilton Gomes, Nicolau Borges, Nicholas Rodrigues, Clifton Gonsalves, Milagres Gonsalves, Branco Cardozo, Peter Carvalho and Cavin Lobo.
The officials who will accompany the team include — Anthony Pango Chef de Mission, Mariano Dias (coach), Lawrence Gomes (team manager) and Akash Chopra (team physio).