In last 15 years SESA FA has produce 100 players, off which 80 players have played in the I-League and recently, Chukwudi Chukwuma signed a contract with a European club
The lineup was great; almost unbeatable if they had to take the field in their prime.
In these days where Indian Super League (ISL) franchises make all the right noise and grab your attention, and, in the recent past, when the likes of Salgaocars, Dempos, Churchill Brothers and even Sporting Clubes were flying the flag for Goan football, it might be hard to believe there were other flagbearers not too long ago.
One among them is Sesa Goa, a team that won the Senior Division League several times and produced some of Goa’s greatest footballers. Some of them were in attendance at Dona Paula on Friday, and as fresh graduates passed out from the Sesa Football Academy – after four years of training – they were left with big boots to fill.
“I did play against Sesa (Goa) and they were always tough opponents. Sesa are now directing their focus towards the academy; they have been doing a fine job and I hope the new graduates carry the legacy forward,” said former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia.
Bhutia, an advisor to Sesa, must have only heard of Sesa’s exploits of the past, particularly in the sixties and seventies when they won the league and rubbed shoulders with the best in business. Present for the convocation ceremony were giants like Nicholas Pereira, Ernest Braganza, Salvador Fernandes, Thomas Dias, Issac D’Souza, Remedios Fernandes and Ernesto Braganza. Whether the new batch match their records remains to be seen, but at least one man is convinced that they have a bright future.
“This is a fine batch. This is the most talented batch to pass out from the academy,” said coach Ajay Acharya, who has coached the academy lads for 14 years now.
Since inception in 1999, Sesa FA trained more than 150 footballers at the residential academy in Sanquelim. They haven’t had the success like the gigantic Tata Football Academy (TFA) but seven of their players have donned national colours and many of them are now household names.
“I have shared with Sesa a few ideas. Yes, there are challenges for all of us but we are now trying to make Sesa a pioneer academy.
“If you don’t taste success initially, don’t worry. Success takes time. You have to keep working hard. Don’t get disheartened if you fail to make it to a top club. You must fight,” advised Bhutia.
Sesa FA president Annanya Agarwal promised to up the company’s efforts at the grassroot level. In Goa and Rajasthan alone, the company is in the process of developing the largest grassroot development programme.
The mining conundrum in Goa has, to some extent, left many in the doldrums. But like deputy CEO Sauvick Mazumdar said, “despite the present gloom due to closure of mining, we are determined to give back to football and the community.”
SESA GRADUATES: Ashley Cardozo, Kanta Alisas Dravin Sunil Mandrekar, Dhiraj Chauhan, Vighnesh G. Shetgaonkar, Vishnu Gosavi, Kunal Salgaonkar, Cyrus Noronha, Dylan Fernandes, Malcolm Gonsalves, Cavin Soares, Lionel D’Souza, Mark Barreto, Anil Chawan, Gaunkar Roanal and Rocky Fernandes.
Khelo India looking at recognising Sesa Football Academy: Rathore
Union Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Tuesday emphasised on the need for stronger alignment with private academies in India and said Khelo India is looking at officially recognising SESA Football Academy as a partner for the programme.
"We have started a programme called Khelo India that is the vision of the Prime Minister, where he feels that anyone who plays has a distinct personality. Sports is also a place where you forget about your caste, creed and religion and where you become one team," said Rathore, who was special guest at an event organised by SESA Football Academy at their Sankhali Campus.
"Hopefully we will very soon be recognising Sesa Football Academy as a partner in Khelo India. My team will come here and see the infrastructure and the training that is happening," he added.
Annanya Agarwal, President of the Vedanta Football Project also spoke on the occasion: "It will be an honour to support Government initiatives like Khelo India and we will be extending all possible support to our young athletes."
SESA Football Academy is one of the first residential academies in India. Established in 1999, with currently two running campuses, the academy has the unique distinction of developing the highest number of players for the national team, the ISL teams, the I-League teams and the Goa Pro League from the state of Goa.
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http://arunfoot.blogspot.in/2014/03/sesa-football-academy-holds-induction.html
BIG BOOTS TO FILL
The lineup was great; almost unbeatable if they had to take the field in their prime.In these days where Indian Super League (ISL) franchises make all the right noise and grab your attention, and, in the recent past, when the likes of Salgaocars, Dempos, Churchill Brothers and even Sporting Clubes were flying the flag for Goan football, it might be hard to believe there were other flagbearers not too long ago.
One among them is Sesa Goa, a team that won the Senior Division League several times and produced some of Goa’s greatest footballers. Some of them were in attendance at Dona Paula on Friday, and as fresh graduates passed out from the Sesa Football Academy – after four years of training – they were left with big boots to fill.
“I did play against Sesa (Goa) and they were always tough opponents. Sesa are now directing their focus towards the academy; they have been doing a fine job and I hope the new graduates carry the legacy forward,” said former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia.
Bhutia, an advisor to Sesa, must have only heard of Sesa’s exploits of the past, particularly in the sixties and seventies when they won the league and rubbed shoulders with the best in business. Present for the convocation ceremony were giants like Nicholas Pereira, Ernest Braganza, Salvador Fernandes, Thomas Dias, Issac D’Souza, Remedios Fernandes and Ernesto Braganza. Whether the new batch match their records remains to be seen, but at least one man is convinced that they have a bright future.
“This is a fine batch. This is the most talented batch to pass out from the academy,” said coach Ajay Acharya, who has coached the academy lads for 14 years now.
Since inception in 1999, Sesa FA trained more than 150 footballers at the residential academy in Sanquelim. They haven’t had the success like the gigantic Tata Football Academy (TFA) but seven of their players have donned national colours and many of them are now household names.
“I have shared with Sesa a few ideas. Yes, there are challenges for all of us but we are now trying to make Sesa a pioneer academy.
“If you don’t taste success initially, don’t worry. Success takes time. You have to keep working hard. Don’t get disheartened if you fail to make it to a top club. You must fight,” advised Bhutia.
Sesa FA president Annanya Agarwal promised to up the company’s efforts at the grassroot level. In Goa and Rajasthan alone, the company is in the process of developing the largest grassroot development programme.
The mining conundrum in Goa has, to some extent, left many in the doldrums. But like deputy CEO Sauvick Mazumdar said, “despite the present gloom due to closure of mining, we are determined to give back to football and the community.”
SESA GRADUATES: Ashley Cardozo, Kanta Alisas Dravin Sunil Mandrekar, Dhiraj Chauhan, Vighnesh G. Shetgaonkar, Vishnu Gosavi, Kunal Salgaonkar, Cyrus Noronha, Dylan Fernandes, Malcolm Gonsalves, Cavin Soares, Lionel D’Souza, Mark Barreto, Anil Chawan, Gaunkar Roanal and Rocky Fernandes.
Khelo India looking at recognising Sesa Football Academy: Rathore
Union Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Tuesday emphasised on the need for stronger alignment with private academies in India and said Khelo India is looking at officially recognising SESA Football Academy as a partner for the programme.
"We have started a programme called Khelo India that is the vision of the Prime Minister, where he feels that anyone who plays has a distinct personality. Sports is also a place where you forget about your caste, creed and religion and where you become one team," said Rathore, who was special guest at an event organised by SESA Football Academy at their Sankhali Campus.
"Hopefully we will very soon be recognising Sesa Football Academy as a partner in Khelo India. My team will come here and see the infrastructure and the training that is happening," he added.
Annanya Agarwal, President of the Vedanta Football Project also spoke on the occasion: "It will be an honour to support Government initiatives like Khelo India and we will be extending all possible support to our young athletes."
SESA Football Academy is one of the first residential academies in India. Established in 1999, with currently two running campuses, the academy has the unique distinction of developing the highest number of players for the national team, the ISL teams, the I-League teams and the Goa Pro League from the state of Goa.