The club’s general secretary has worried that the transfer fee earned is meagre as compared to the amount pumped into youth development.
Salgaocar FC joined Sporting Clube de Goa and Dempo SC in an infamous pull from the I-League in 2016 but the Goan teams have lasted develop talents who have favour with I-League and Indian Super League (ISL) sides.
Salgaocar might not be playing at the top divisions of Indian football anymore but the team continues to field its youth teams in the Goan tournaments.
Salgaocar general secretary Adlear D’Cruz associated with Goal that the club wants to see its players move to bigger pastures and find their feet while they continue to produce the next set of abilities.
This year also, we’ll let go of some of our players. If we continue to the players, the next generation will not get a chance to play,” he pointed out.
Colaco, after two and half years at FC Goa where he got just 51 minutes over eight ISL appearances off the bench, has now moved to Hyderabad FC.
FC Goa have agreed to cover Salgaocar a sum of Rs. 10 lakhs to bind the forward on a three-year contract.
There are many other Salgaocar players who commanded a transfer fee. Naro Hari made a move to DSK Shivajians (now disbanded) in 2016 at a price of Rs. 7 lakhs, FC Goa paid Rs. 15 lakhs for Colaco in 2017 and East Bengal completed the signing of Ronaldo Oliveira in 2019 for a sum of Rs. 10 lakhs.
But with a promising player like Sanson Pereira moving to the Gaurs’ setup as a free agent, D’Cruz said, “We are here to supply (players) but there needs to be a value. All our players who are playing at the Goa Pro League have now played for us for over seven years, which means that they have been with us right from the time of under 13.”
“The question isn’t about money. We wish to see that the team who is taking our participant continues their development. The amount from the transfer fee is not going to do anything for us in terms of how much we’re spending on youth development. But at the same time, we don’t want to give anything free since there is no value for free,” he added.
Salgaocar’s academy has been honoured with a two-star score by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the team official has insisted that future plans will remain the same.
“As of now, our coaches from under 10 to the senior team for the past five years are all (AFC) A-Licence coaches. We haven’t compromised on coaches and the coaching pattern and we also send our coaches for refresher courses.
“Even according to the AIFF guidelines, whatever affects or criterion they suggest, we’re in accordance with the AIFF. We fall under the category of non-residential academy, though we make an exception to provide accommodation for players who are from far away.
“We are taking one step at a time and we are happy with the way we are going,” D’Cruz concluded.
