On Thu, 3 Jul 2003 03:11:16 -0700 (PDT), "Uly/www.goa-world.com/" wrote:
Caji - the Silver Star of Soor Grounds soccer - By Sunny Nazareth Meet and greet the peerless Cajetan Godinho, popularly known as 'Caji' to his friends and admirers. The only child in the family, Caji belongs to the stuff "that dreams are made of" because, at the scholastic age, he captained the famous A.A. de Majorda Football Club. After his academic career, Caji joined the Marmagoa Port Trust (MPT) in 1979, as a football player and, was about to make a debit for MPT in Western India Football Federation's (WIFE) most prestigious Rovers Cup Tournament when fate winged him to Kuwait. Thereafter, there was no turning back. Caji joined the then celebrated Goan Sport in 1979, when the expatriate soccer was in its nascent stages on the Soor Grounds. Caji continued with the Goan Sporting until it was disbanded in 1995. With Caji's dazzling midfield display, Goan Sporting had the unique honour of being the first club, to win the very first coveted UG Shield in the inaugural United Goans Tournament in Kuwait. Goan Sporting also basked in the glory of being the first, to win the late Ida Memorial Football Trophy after the liberation of Kuwait. Caji strides the Soor Grounds like a colossus. A midfield maestro with mercurial thrusts, Caji displays superb ball control, dexterous ball deflections and his exactitude in powerful long range shots make him the 'karma' (nemesis) of goal keepers. A free kick specialitst with lethal potential, Caji is also gifted with a rare and incomparable ability to hit the bull's eye with amazing 'spiral shots' taken straight from the flag kicks. Tactically astute, when Caji is in possession of the ball, his opponents rarely get a chance to shift from the first gear, paving way for him to unleash unexpected sizzlers with devastating effect. A former coach of the Kuwait National Soccer Team, the great Brazilian Carlos Alberto presiding as chief guest in 1984, praised Caji as a 'wonderful player' and presented him the "The Best Player Award" in the finals of the late Ida Memorial Football Tournament on the Soor Grounds. Caji ie endowed with a flint personality, patience and perseverance and captained the first ever Goa XI verses Kerala XI at the Fahaheel Stadium in 1990. He was also honoured with a "Fair Play Award" in 1995, at a friendly match between Kuwait Indian Football Federation (KIFF) selection and the famous Al-Arabi Sports Club of Kuwait. As late as in 2001, Caji was decorated with the title of "Athlete of the Year" by the CRC Chinchinim in Kuwait. Caji's sports resume flaunts with lots of accolades and awards. When asked the secret of his success, Caji humbly replied, "love, dedication, discipline" and it is precisely these traits that make him the super nova to cross the Silver Jubilee portals of his outstanding and unblemished football career on the nostalgic Soor Grounds. ( courtesy: Arab Times www.arabtimesonline.com ) ____ Goa-World.Com adds: Caji - the never aging most respected man on Soor Ground continues his love for 'football' and is a shining example and inspiration to the young and the old among the Indian football players and officials. Caji deserves special accolades and honour considering his unique record in Kuwait's expatriate football history - never receiving any warning card or disciplinary action from the 'men in black' for the last 25 years! Cheers to that, we are proud to have 'the pearl' amongst our midst! Links: www.goa-world.com/sports/ ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
