Padre Xico Monteiro & his Football Team

I don't remember names of all the players who played for Academica Sporting Club coached by Padre Xico Monteiro, I remember they had a great goalkeeper, he could be your uncle.  Academica's team their uniform color was black, they fielded all Goan players no Portuguese Pacles. Most their players were students of Liceu in Panjim, and lived in Lar de Estudantes. Academica had won one year the League Championship.

Some Goan spectators had a tendency to see a team of their own kind without fielding any Pacles.

The teams that had never fielded Portuguese Pacles were Salgaoncars(Vimson),  Academica, Santa Ines, M.C.C., Navelim S. C., and Ferroviarious (Railways) to my recollection.

It was difficult but not impossible to win League Championship without having some Pacles in the roster. However, the Salgaoncars had won many League Championship, and sometimes back to back following years. The other winners were Academica, Santa Ines, and Ferroviarious.

The great teams that had Pacles in the roster were Clube Vasco de Gama, Clube Independente de Margao, Velha Goa, Goa Policia de Panjim. All these teams had won the League Championship to my recollection.

The following were All Goa Great players:-

Menino Figuredo(Carmona) of Salgaoncars S.C. a great defender. Vassu Raiturcar of Salgaoncar right winger, played one year for Clube Independente de Margao.

Goalkeeper Palmel (Paclo) de Clube Independente. Eve of Academica dangerous right winger. Saturninho(Paclo) Mid fielder, and Arantel(Paclo) Center Forward, liked to cheat referee by staying in offside position de Vasco da Gama. Petlu of MCC. There were others also I don't recollect.

The great Goan Olympic players were Neville de Souza, Arthur Goes. These players played for Tata and Caltex teams in India. Somehow, they played in Goa also for the key matches.

Menino Figueiredo was my roll model. He was sick last year bedridden someone told me. I sent him $500 US because I always liked his cool style of defense without hurting anyone. He sent me a nice letter of appreciation, and said I don't even know you who you're. I said what it matters that I knew you as a young boy who was only 10 years old, and appreciated your skills. I saved his letter as a treasure, and it was something for me after all those years, the great player of all time I've not seen.

Padre Xico Monteiro was a great Coach and Manager. The unfortunate part was that he was jailed by using Indian Constitution against his believes. That was very unjust to treat Goans like that shove down our throats Indian Constitution when we Goans believe that Goa belongs to us and no one else. Indian Constitution forced many Goans leave their country Goa to avoid persecution. That's still the sad part, and it hurts.

Agnelo Gomes
(Courtesy: The Goan Forum)