MIDFIELD GENERAL - ROCKY BARRETTO
Football is his first love and Brazilian Juninho his idol. The
26-year-old Rocky Barretto wants to emulate his hero. Charles D'Souza
writes more on this SAI and TFA product If Churchill Brothers have been
netting goals it is thanks to the efforts of Rocky, currently the best
schemer and midfielder in the country.
He hails from the land where football is considered next to religion
-- Goa. Born in Margao, Rocky's physique is quite contrary to the
height and toughness that one associates to the people from the
region. But hand over the ball to him and he has the opposition napping
with well directed and defence splitting passes. As the midfielder, Rocky
to the Marshal in the side.
A St Joseph High School, product from Margao, he later joined SAI,
Margao and his interest for football grew. During the two years he
spent at the SAI centre under the tutelage of I B Negi, Rocky gained in
stature as a play-maker, which earned him recognition at the National
level. Vis-a-vis the Tata Football Academy. It was in the year 1993
that Rocky and Mahesh Gawli, also a SAI trainee at that time, (presently with
FC Kochin) were admitted into the Jamshedpur-based academy.
His interests took real shape at the with TFA as it housed an
exclusive sports hostel for football. Rocky's career was now given
the right direction. He played for Bihar in under 16 and 19 years football
championship.
"In 1996 TFA sent us to Germany to play series of exhibition
matches with German teams," Rocky recalls. "I scored a goal
again FC Kolar Club. It was a great experience and the exposure at
that stage has helped me a lot," Rocky said of his first stint as a
midfielder.
In Germany Rocky's sublime skill were first noticed by Germany's
Bayer Leverkusen coach Martin Siet Bert, who was a constant source of
encouragement. Bert cleared his rough edges and made him mentally
tough. Rocky owes a lot to the German.
Following his stint at Tata Football Academy he had offers from
Calcutta giants -- Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.
Instead he chose FC Kochin. That was in 1996. Rocky Barretto, who
moved to Churchill Brothers last season from the Kerala club has so
far tallied scored seven goals in the ongoing NFL.
Rocky is gaining respect in Goa. His consistent and classy play in
the Churchill Bros midfield has been one of the high points in ongoing NFL
as his one touch play and poise, even under provocation is a treat to
watch.
Rocky Barretto made his mark in Indian football during under-19
youth soccer championship in Thailand when he scored a goal against Kuwait
in 1998. Luckily for Rocky Barretto, the Indian team's technical Director
PK Banerjee, who was guiding the Mohun Bagan football team last year,
watched the Mohun Bagan-F C Kochin match at Salt Lake. PK was impressed
and Rocky and was summoned for the India camp and represented the country
in pre-Olympics qualifying round.
Infact Rocky nearly realised his dream last year when he was called
for the senior camp in Punjab. But sadly he missed the bus with the
selectors settling for tested names.
Out of the present Indian professional football players, he loves to
watch Bruno Coutinho of Salgaocar.
If he continues the form and the impact he has made in the ongoing
National Football League, the Indian call will not be far away for the
talented and hardworking Rocky Baretto