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All he needed was a target and
the spherical missile for a weapon. The perfect shot from the lethal left foot
would leave the opponent's goalkeeper fishing the ball from the net.
His lean, seemingly frail
structure belied his tremendous potential to explode at the most unexpected
moments and score remarkable goals for his team, Vasco Sports Club, which he
spearheaded during its most eventful years.
Andrew D'Souza, Vasco Sports
Club's centre-forward for 13 long years was the crucial link in the then famous
A-B-C-D combination of Andrew, Bernard, Catao and Domnic. This marauding forward
line sent shivers down an opponent's spine. The lethal combination, the likes of
which Goa is yet to see again, was a treat to watch. "Whenever we took the
field, our opponents always had their hands full in trying to contain us. The
four of us never had to really work out a strategy or struggle to combine. We
could read each other's minds," Andrew commented on the deadly A-B-C-D
combine.
Such was his usefulness to the
team that his mere presence meant half the battle won.
Andrew was an intelligent
player with a superb sleight of foot. He had the uncanny knack of hoodwinking
the best of defenders with a body swerve or a sudden burst of speed. He could
lay a splitting pass for his comrades or position himself so that he had only to
use his devastating left foot to complete the mission.
A true loyalist and undoubtedly
one of the best centre forwards seen in Goa so far, Andrew began his footballing
career in 1962, when he was introduced to Vasco Sports Club by Caetaninho
D'Souza and Ireneu Henriques, both Vasco Sports Club players. Life was never the
same for him after that. Prior to this, he used to feature in minor tournaments
while playing for Padre Agnelo.
Although he had many offers
from various other clubs like Salgaocar Sports Club, East Bengal from Calcutta
and Tatas, Andrew chose to stick with Vasco and hung up his boots in 1975.
Even when he decided to call it
a day, Andrew felt he had still some years of good football in him, but he
preferred to retire from the game, when in form.
"I could have continued
playing but I wanted to sign-off in style. I did not want spectators yelling
from the stands for my replacement. That would have hurt my ego. I wanted to be
remembered," says Andrew. And remembered he is - indeed by many.
Andrew featured in the State
team that participated in the first nationals at Madras in 1964, under the
captaincy of Menino Figueiredo. The quick-footed forward, was also part of the
famous Vasco squad of the sixties and seventies, which won laurels in several
tournaments held in Bombay, Calcutta and Bangalore.
He was captain of the Goa team
that took part in the nationals at Quillon in 1965, and a year later, led Vasco
to victory in the Western India Football Association Trophy which beat Tata
Sports Club 2-0, at the Cooperage in Bombay.
That same year Vasco Sports
Club emerged as the first Goan team to enter the finals of the prestigious
Rovers Cup, but lost to Mohun Bagan narrowly 0-1. Two years later,
Andrew donned the country's
colours against Russia. Andrew D'Souza recalls the Vasco team that he led to the
Rovers final in 1966. "It was a well balanced side which made the most of
the opportunities coming its way. We had a good defence in which Aboo stood like
a rock. He worked tirelessly and had strong physique. We also had a good
goalkeeper in Vivian Furtado. Keshav played superbly in the midfield and we had
good performers like Catao and Raphael in the attack. What helped us to make a
significant advance was the fact that we combined extremely well. We lost the
final to Mohun Bagan, but it was a well-contested match. Kannan who came in as a
substitute was a skillful forward and he scored a beautiful goal for Mohun Bagan."
In 1970, Andrew was declared
the best forward of the All India Bandodkar Gold Trophy tournament, when Vasco
outplayed Dempo Sports Club, at Tilak Maidan, to claim top honours.
Earlier, in the semifinals, he
played a stellar role in Vasco's 4-1 triumph over Calcutta giants, East Bengal.
In the same year, Andrew's
match-winner helped Vasco lift the Sait Nagjee Trophy beating Border Security
Force, at Calicut.
Andrew also assisted Vasco in
the 1972 Rovers Cup final. He adds: "This side had another three players
from the 1966 team; these being Shivraj, George Rosemond and Raphael. It was a
stronger side as it had formidable stoppers, Ambrose and Chatunni in defence. We
also had brilliant forwards in Bernard and Domnic. Sudhir was superb under the
bar. We had made the final at the cost of the fancied East Bengal and I had the
fortune of getting Vasco's match-winner. Goans from Dhobi Talao witnessed our
matches in large numbers and extended their full support to the team. The
football fans and the organisers too were absolutely happy when Vasco played in
the Rovers Cup. They got their money's worth."
Andrew last played for Vasco in
the Chakola Gold Cup in 1975 to sum-up an eventful soccer career.
When Andrew began his career
with Vasco, it was a coachless team. "At that time, our team did not have a
coach as such. We would practice - at Tilak Maidan - among ourselves and receive
guidance from our seniors. Secondly, whenever we had the opportunity, we would
watch the Bengalis play, say for example during the Rovers Cup, and learn some
of their techniques, for they were much advanced," says Andrew, who along
with his colleagues were committed to football. Incidentally, it was only in the
early 70s that Vasco brought in Peter Thangraj, a former Olympian, as the club's
first coach.
Andrew and brigade were a
determined lot, who played for the love of the game. "Money did not matter
to us. We only wanted to play and excel. In fact, we forgot what breakfast was.
But after every match, we would have a party - win or lose - this was when the
late B. M. Parkkot took over the club," he adds.
He always felt that, besides
those who attained great heights in Goan soccer during the 60s and 70s, there
were many others who could have achieved the goal, but could not succeed because
politics and partiality prevailed in Indian football.
"I remember an incident
when I was traveling with a group of probables from Bombay to Calcutta for the
national camp: A couple of players told me that they were already selected and
that they would feature in the first eleven. I was quite amazed at the
revelation, but that was exactly what happened and I was named as one of the
reserves. How on earth could one know of his selection ahead of the camp?"
asks Andrew.
Although he scored many goals
during his playing days, Andrew kept track of none, for statistics were not his
cup of tea. With a shooting prowess matched by few, Andrew always rated Benzinho
Fernandes who played for Railways in the early sixties, Salgaocar's
Subhashchandra Sinari and of course his own teammate, Avinder Singh who came in
his way as the finest goalkeepers.
As Andrew puts it, "Benzie
was the best. He had a huge body-frame and guarded all angles to perfection.
Prior to liberation, I remember him playing for Goa XI against Karachi Port
Trust from Pakistan, where he put up a brilliant display."
"Subhash was very agile,
and had the ability to dive at the striker's feet. He was quite acrobatic.
Avinder on the other hand displayed good anticipation and would position himself
perfectly. He never gave me the chance to shoot at him."
All his performances are dear
to Andrew, but the one that he holds closest to his heart is the match Vasco
played against Taj Club of Iran way back in 1972 during the DCM tournament in
Delhi.
"Although we lost 2-4, it
was a great match. On that day, Domnic was at his best. He scored two splendid
goals that were struck from a near zero angle. We matched our rivals well and
received a lot of praise from the rival team's management. At the end of the
day, the result really did not matter," says Andrew smiling.
Vasco was famous throughout the
country. About its popularity Andrew says: "We made a fine impression
whether we played at Calcutta, Calicut or Bangalore. We played a clean game and
dished out the best in all the facets of the game, such as speed, shooting,
dribbling etc. This endeared us to the crowd. We won all the major tournaments
at Trichur, Calicut, Trivandrum and Kottayam in Kerala. We had good public
support even when we played against a team from Kerala. Our chief patron, B. M.
Parkkot came from Trichur and he fielded the team for every major tournament in
Kerala. Vasco could make a fine showing mainly because of the encouragement that
the players got from Parkkot and T. K. Unni. It showed the way for other leading
teams from Goa as to how to dominate the proceedings in some of the major
tournaments of the country. This is the most significant contribution that Vasco
has made to the rising graph of Goan football. Parkkot, Unni and Ciano Pereira
are no more with us, but the memories of their deeds will remain forever."
Andrew owes much of his play to
his coaches Joaquim Goes, Cyril Ferrao and Thangaraj.
The 58-year-old Andrew who took
up the reins as manager of Vasco Sports Club, five years ago feels that Vasco's
silence today is primarily because of a cash crunch. ln his opinion, money plays
an important role in the running of a first-class football club. However, it
looks like the glitter that Vasco Sports Club has still managed to retain, is
mainly due to its past days of glory.
Andrew's younger son, Eric, is
presently engaged with Cabral Sports Club, but he always felt that his elder son
had the magic touch. "I always thought that my elder son, would make a good
player, because he had the touch, but I did not encourage him as he was not very
sound in health. At the same time, I did not want to disturb his academic career
because in my case, I gave up school after the seventh standard and devoted the
rest of my time to football.
Francis D' Souza, one of the
best and most intelligent strikers in the game, pays tribute to Andrew,
recalling, "I saw a little bit of Andrew D'Souza which impressed me a lot.
Due to the inadequate transport facilities in those days, I watched him whenever
he played at the Police ground. What I noticed was that there was rarely a
repetition of any tactical move by Andrew. Everything was done instantly and in
an improvised manner. I could see Bernard running in his one-track way and I
could see Domnic dribbling on his left flank. But Andrew was either flicking the
ball over the head of a player or he would dribble the ball between his legs to
weave past the defender or flick like Inder Singh used to do. His turning off
the ball was very good. So I thought there were a lot of innovations on the part
of Andrew to beat a defender."
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