Coutinho

New Delhi: Several former footballers, who bid good bye to active football long back, have received a new lease of life, thanks to All India Football Federation’s decision to ‘recall’ them to the national side.

Ironically, all these 17 players, barring one, are from Goa. They will represent India in the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup qualifiers at Mamzar Beach (Dubai) from August 14.

The most famous among these players, who are currently undergoing training under German coach G. Edward in Goa, is former India captain Bruno Coutinho. Former Dempo striker Pascoal Pereira, at 41, is the oldest among the probables.

According to beach football rules, five players — including the goalkeeper — take the field, while five substitutes are allowed on the bench. Many former stars like French legend Eric Cantona and Brazilian great Romario are regular beach football players after retirement.

Asked why the federation has chosen to send a team of veterans for the World Cup qualifiers, AIFF general secretary Alberto Colaco said he was not left with any other option.

“I wrote to all the state associations to send players for the camp, but none responded. As AFC insisted on sending a team, we finally asked former India goalkeeper Brahmanand to get some former players to train for the team.”

Colaco said that AIFF even approached some players from outside Goa like Shabbir Pasha, Jo Paul Ancheri and I. M. Viyayan to play in the championships but they didn’t show interest.

In Dubai, Coutinho and Co. will make an attempt to realise their dream of playing in the World Cup. Only six teams are playing in the qualifiers and three will get tickets for the beach football World Cup in Brazil next year. Placed in Group A, India will play their first match on August 14 (UAE), followed by the match against Japan on the Independence Day.

tHE PROBABLES: Bruno Coutinho, Dominic D’Souza, Raju Kumar, Pascoal Pereira, Anthony Pereira, Seby Dias, Remy Colaco, Augustine Rodrigues, Venancio Gonsalves, Seby D’Costa, Alex Alvares, Elvis Pereira, Daniel Noronha, Marcus Carvalho, Presley Pereira, Gavin Araujo and Ajay Acharya.