Former India captain Bruno Coutinho, representing, Goa Veterans, will be accompanying a galaxy of former international and state-level players from the Indian state of Goa who fly into Qatar to take part in the Gulf Goans one-day 9-A-Side football tournament on October 3, organised by Goan Welfare Association, Qatar and Goan Youngsters. Coutinho, only the second Goan to win the Arjuna award - the highest sporting award for Indian sportsmen - is not the only former international who is making the trip to Doha. Camilo Gonsalves, now assistant coach at Dempo Sports Club, a I-league club in the Indian Professional League, is one of the many former India players who will revive old memories among football fans. Savio Madeira, a former player, turned coach, Goalkeeper Chandrakant Naik, who served with distinction for many top Goan clubs, like Dempo Sports Club and Salgaocar Sports Club, and who continues to don colours for Navelim inter-village football team in inter-village tournaments in Goa, is the third former India player in the Goa Veterans rank. Midfielder Lawrence Gomes of Salgaocar SC, a second division I-League team completes the list of former internationals who are making the journey to Qatar, the country which hosted the Asian Games in December 2006. A busy schedule of coaching prevented, yet another Arjuna award winner and former India captain goalkeeper Brahmanand Shanwalkar, to drop out of the team. Shanwalkar is presently the Technical Director of the Sesa Football Academy team, which is one of the professional teams, taking part in the ongoing Goa Professional League. Also flying especially for the event, all the way from Goa , is Goa Football Association (GFA) General Secretary, Savio Messais, who will be the chief guest for the event. Messais has been Secretary of GFA, for the last four years and has been instrumental in initiating a number of youth development projects in the state, with an eye on the future. Besides the Goan Veterans, Santos United from Kuwait, Bahrain Goans, BSB Bahrain and from the host country are expected to take part in the tournament. Former International Flaviano Leitao, a product of Tata Football Academy , who holds the distinction of being the first trainee from the prestigious academy to represent the country, will be turning out for one of the two local teams Goan Youngsters and Doha Veterans which will be seen in action. Venue for the tournament will be announced shortly. More details can be had from 5550491, 5504801 and 5819313. Goa Veterans: Camilo Gonsalves (Dempo), Lawrecne Miguel Gomes (Salgaocar), Bruno Coutinho (Salgaocar), Xavier Colaco (Dempo), Alfred Joaquim Fernandes (Churchill), Edwin William Moraes (Sesa Goa), Alvito Francisco Rodrigues (Velsao Pale), Roque Carneiro (Churchill), Chandrakant Naik (Dempo) and Anthony Fernandes (Raia Sporting), Savio Medira (Salgaocar) and Mateus Costa.
