Goa will now have a home team to cheer for in the inaugural 2014 Hero Indian Super League as 'FC Goa' today announced its launch at a city hotel here.
The club was launched by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, alongside club owners Director, Videocon Anirud Dhoot, Managing Director of V M Salgaocar and Company Dattaraj Salgaocar, and chairman and Managing Director of Dempo Group of companies Shrinivas Dempo.
FC Goa will be one of eight teams due to fight it out in the Indian Super League to be held across the country between October 12 and December 20 this year.
Shrinivas Dempo said "After running a successful Indian football club for 40 years it was time for a fresh infusion of the spirit of Goan football to take it to the next level, and so FC Goa was born."
Parrikar unveiled the official club logo. A presentation on the logo of the club was delivered by Dattraj Salgaonkar, who said, "The logo personifies the character of Goan football and the fundamentals of the team we have put together."
FC Goa is the first Indian sports club to launch a satellite TV Channel - FC Goa TV which will be telecast on Videocon d2h with exclusive and innovative programming. In addition the official Twitter handle, Facebook page, Instagram, Youtube and Google Plus were also launched.
Actor Varun Dhawan was also present to interact with the team as the 'first' friend of FC Goa.
Commenting on his entry into football with the Hero ISL, Director Anirudh Dhoot said, "Videocon has been involved in promoting Indian sport extensively. We see great potential in Indian football, to the extent it could well be the most popular sport in India in time to come. We are proud to partner with Shrinivas Dempo and Dattaraj Salgaocar who run two of the most successful football teams in India."
F C Goa, which comprises 14 Indians, two Czechs, two Frenchmen and three Portuguese, will kick off the first ghame of the league against FC Chennai at home on October 13. Other teams in the Indian Super league incude Kerala Blasters, Chennai Titans, Mumbai City FC, FC Pune City, Delhi Dynamos, Atletico de Kolkata and North East United.
FC Goa Squad: Laxmikaant Kattimani, Debabarata Roy, Gaabriel Fernandes, Clifford Miranda, Shaikh Jewel Raja, Alwyn George, Narayan Das, Prabir Das, Mandar Rao Dessai, Romeo Fernandes, Peter CArvalho, Holicharan Narzary, Pronay Haider, Rowilson Rodrigues, Miguel Pereira Herlien, Miroslav Slepicka, Youness Bengelloun, Bruno Pinheiro, EDgar Marclino, Gregory Arnoli and Jan Seda.
