Hi Mario, Lest you have forgotten, India's game is field hockey and we have won the Olympic Hockey Gold medal in 1928 (Amsterdam), 1932 (Los Angeles), 1936 (Berlin), 1948 (London), 1952 (Helsinki), 1956 (Melbourne), 1964 (Tokyo) and 1980 (Moscow). We have also won the World Cup under the leadership of three-time Gold medallist Manager Balbir Singh in 1975 (Kuala Lumpur). He new book the Golden Yardstick (on objective training methodolgy for required skills in Field Hockey is due to be released in September).
A comparatively less cerebral and less skillful game like Football (or Soccer) may not be India's cup of Tea - but we sure will win the World Cup in hockey and regain our field hockey supremacy in the near future ! If Goa still was the backwater colony of Portugal, we might have had a better shot at qualifying for the Soccer World Cup (without having to compete or deal with the Bengalis and the Keralites) - But then we would not have been able to brag about so many Goan Olympic Gold Medallists in Hockey ! I know that if Portugal makes it the World Cup Final and wins it, it will go down well with the Goans' Feni and they may enjoy an extended hangover - but for a lasting kick they should all take up Field Hockey and help India win the Olympic Gold Medal or the World Cup in the near future ! As an accomplished Footballer in your heydays at the university level in MP, I hope I have not hurt your sentiments, Mario - I just want to make a point that you made a wrong choice in taking up serious soccer instead of field hockey during India's Golden Age - who knows, you might have been one of those Great Goan Gold Medallists in field hockey that we all brag about these days - and I sure would not like you to mislead legions of Indian and Goan youngsters away from field hockey and take up soccer in the 21st century ! Best Regards, Dr. Carmo D'Cruz, Indian Harbour Beach, Florida Mario Goveia observes: > I think most Brits are fair-minded enough to not hold it against a player for a British club what happened in the heat of the moment while playing for his National team. Christian Ronaldo's loyalty and first priority against England was his Portuguese team and his Portuguese team-mate, whose groin had just been stepped on by his club team-mate. > If they do hold it against him then it will be Manchester United's loss. > I would like to ask Goanetters their opinions as to why India with over a billion people cannot produce a World Cup qualifying team, whereas tiny ex-colonies in Africa and Latin America can routinely do so. --- Gabe Menezes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >Deliberately wanting your opponent sent off is not >Sportsmanship and unfortunately the Man Utd player, might not resurface in >England again. The wink was caught on the camera, getting your Club team >mate >sent off?? Despicable, yes and I am not condoning >Wayne's behaviour. > _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org
