Dempo's Godwin & Co take time out, visit school in Mapusa

Players of I-League champions Dempo SC residing in and around Mapusa took time out after their daily practice sessions to visit St. Anthonys High School at Monte de Guirim, Mapusa.

Midfielder Godwin Franco and his team mates took a morning out last Friday, February 1 to put smiles on the young faces at the residential school.

Students also got to meet other players including John D. Menyongar, Koko Sakibo and ex-student of the school Mandar Rao Desai. After the meet and greet, the players participated in a school program.

The visit was part of continuing efforts by the club towards their community and Fan-Base development, while also to popularize the I-League in Goa.

VIDEO: Dempo's School Outreach Program

Recently a contingent from I-League champions Dempo SC had visit St. Britto's High School, Mapusa as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Development Programme. Players - Godwin Franco, Koko Sakibo, John D. Menyongar and ex-school student Myron Fernandes, visited the school along with Dempo officials - Pundalik Raut Dessai, Abhijit Patil and Jonathan DeSouza. Here the Prudent Media report.

Interview with Godwin Franco (Dempo SC)

Dempo SC midfielder Godwin Franco was back in Cologne, Germany in the summer over the season break to meet friends, train in the off-season and I spoke to him a couple of days ago before his return to Goa about his experiences, we took a look at the new season and more...


Good to see you back here in Germany! How were the experiences here in Cologne being back for a second time?

Germany is a very nice place and I've got many friends here, I visited them again and had a good time. Besides that I have been training here with a team (Borussia Lindenthal). What I love about the place is that Germany is a powerhouse of world football, their football is very organised, very efficient right from the grassroot levels and all their leagues - professional and amateur. It has been a fantastic experience!

This time I also visited Sweden (visiting Player of Indian Origin & former Sporting Clube de Goa player Nicolas Nath) and I also got to train there at IF Hammerby. Another great experience. Football in Europe is simply massive!


You not only trained here, but also saw Euro2012 action while being here in Germany. How was the experience to watch the matches in public viewing on the streets with so many people?

The people have absolute passion for football! They love the game, they love their country no matter what and even when they lost, they were disappointed but they were always positive about the future. Neither where they very critical about their country, the players, the coach Joachim Löw.

Knowing that Germany is a powerhouse of world football, a country that has won won the Euros a number of times and numerous World Cups, it has been an insane experience for me. Crazy atmosphere. Everyone just loves their football here!


You've now seen training here in Germany, last year and this year too; you now go back to Goa to the champions of India Dempo SC. What do you take back from what you have seen here?

It is a huge advantage to me when I train here because number one I am keeping myself fit in the off-season and secondly I am training with good clubs, good players. There are great facilities here and once I go back I am in a good condition to rejoin training. Dempo is one of the best teams in India which has good facilities and everything is upto the mark, so once I get back, I get back into the groove without any hassle.


You will have seen the new squad composition at Dempo's, not too many changes but you lose a striker of the quality of Ranty Martins Soleye, you have someone in like Ryuji Sueoka coming in, a lot of new youngsters coming from other clubs and the Dempo Under-20 team. How do you see Dempo's season ahead?

That's always a philosophy of Dempo's, always to keep the core of the team which is there this year as well. Ranty has gone, they got in Sueoka. Just like last year when Beto went and got Densill Theobald in. The coach (Armando Colaco) is very good at getting the best out of what he has and he has always succeeded in this over the years. Now we have a new foreign striker in Sueoka and Koko Sakibo stays back to partner him. Sueoka no doubt has won the I-league with Salgaocar, was one of their crucial players, he is an established player in India, so we are looking forward to having him in our team. I'm sure he is going to do well for us.

And the youngsters have come in because we are looking towards the future as a club and that is what they have done over the years. They have always maintained the core and from the time of Valeriano Rebello brought in youngsters. It is the same cycle that is being carried on.

We look forward to the new season with enthusiasm!


One last but somewhat critical question. 37 probables have been named for Team India ahead of the Nehru Cup. Though you had a very good season last year, your name does not figure in that 37. Disappointed?

It is not that I am not disappointed, but it is always what the coach wants. I will keep working hard, I will keep trying this season as well. And by the Grace of God definitely I will continue to try my best and get into the national team.

The coach (Wim Koevermans) is new and will surely have a look at I-League players in the new season, the door is always open at various points of the season. I am always optimistic and I have no hard feelings because at the end of the day it is the coaches choice.

I wish Team India all the best!


Thanks for talking to me and hope to see you back here in Germany soon!

Thank you too!


Here a video interview which I carried out with Godwin a few weeks ago: VIDEO: Interview with Godwin Franco (Dempo SC)

VIDEO: Netherlands vs Germany: Post-Match Analysis with Renedy Singh & Godwin Franco

For the Netherlands vs Germany match at Euro2012 the Indian footballers of Renedy Singh and Godwin Franco were in my home town of Remscheid, Germany. Here comes the Post-Match Analysis with the two from Wednesday at the Fanmeile Remscheid!

rs1.tv VIDEO: Public Viewing in Germany, Renedy & Godwin amongst them

Last Wednesday saw Germany taking on Netherlands in their second Euro2012 group match. As has become tradition in Germany people watch matches together in public viewing in big arena's, on the streets and in public areas where giant screens are installed.

The same happens in my home town of Remscheid, where people watched and then celebrated Germany's win against Portugal. What drew special attention in Remscheid that evening was the attendance of Indian footballers Renedy Singh and Godwin Franco.




Link to the article: German media covers Indian footballers - Renedy & Godwin visit

German media covers Indian footballers - Renedy & Godwin visit

My good friends Renedy Singh (Shillong Lajong FC) and Godwin Franco (Dempo SC), both Indian footballers, are currently holidaying in Europe. Both on their own, but we met-up this week and the duo visited my home town of Remscheid here in Germany.

As part of their visit to my place we visited on Wednesday evening, June 13 the public viewing of the 2012 European Championships match between the Netherlands and Germany at the central city square.

I did interview Renedy and Godwin after the match for television, but as local journalist colleagues knew the two would be at the public viewing, they showed real interest that Indian footballers were in town to watch the game and reported about the visit.


Here the link to the online version of the newspaper article in German in the Bergische Morgenpost: Nationalspieler im Fanblock .

Here the online version: Fußball-Party: Inder feiern mit Remscheidern

The regional version of the newspaper had the news that Indian footballers visit public viewing in Remscheid: Public Viewing in der Region - Im EM-Rausch: Jubel, Party, Autokorso


(Photo Source: Bergische Morgenpost; Jürgen Moll)

VIDEO: Interview with Godwin Franco (Dempo SC)

Dempo SC midfielder Godwin Franco is currently in Cologne, Germany during the summer break. I got a chance to speak to him about the season gone-by, his visits to Germany and his football experience in Germany.

VIDEO: Euro2012 Preview - Discussion between Arunava, Chris & Godwin

On the sidelines of my Früh Kölsch SportTalk show on Monday in Germany I held a discussion with my journalistic colleague Chris Punnakkattu Daniel and Indian footballer Godwin Franco about the 2012 European Championships which is set to kick-off later this week in Poland and the Ukraine.

We used the opportunity of being together at the same place and a TV camera around to record our discussion on tape. I hope you enjoy it!

Meeting Dempo's Godwin Franco in Cologne

For me it is always good to meet Indian footballers here in Germany, but that sadly happens rarely. A few weeks ago Dempo midfielder Godwin Diogo Franco contacted me by saying he is Cologne and wanted to meet. I thought great and wanted to meet-up to speak football, especially Indian football. Sadly that is something I can't do too often...

Due to work commitments on my side we could only meet up last week and it was an interesting afternoon talking about Indian football and hearing of Godwin's experiences here in Germany. He was really excited and fascinated to have been here and witness the football culture, the love for the game and the infrastructure.


Godwin and I spoke at length. Also I did ask him about his time here in Germany, his impressions of the country and its football plus more. Here a very personal interview...

How was it to see the German football culture?

Very Impressive! A country that has always done well at the world stage; has the most competitive league in the world; their youth structure, one of the best in the world; that speaks volumes of footballs role in Germany. Here football is so methodical, right from your early days in your backyard to the world stage. Everyone gets a chance at it and is encouraged at every level be it school, college and so on. There are so many clubs with everyone having youth teams, where emphasis are laid on the most important aspects of the game. Radical and efficiency is the German code!

What impressed you the most?

The passion of the people towards the sport... I played this match where the players of the lower league clubs had a match amongst themselves for fun, in which I scored two goals and we won. After the match a guy who was watching the game came up to me, when I was leaving for home, and asked me what jersey I was wearing. I said Dempo SC from India, we have won the league the most number of times back in India and we play at continental Asian club level too. He was like 'wow' and wanted to know more about the club and Indian football which I eventually answered. And as you will know better then me, this has happened on several occasions when I was introduced as a footballer from India during my holidays. They all wanted to know more about football in India.


How was it to train with a lower division German club?

As I was on a holiday I wanted to maintain my fitness level so one of my German friends hooked me up to train with a lower division side as he knew a player from the team. I want to be ready for the coming season with Dempo SC. It was a great experience!
Everything is very efficient and methodical at training, right from the locker room to the pitch and back, the standard is very good at all the levels as the guys have got their basics intact. The coach was a former 1.FC Cologne youth coach and a scout, a spotter for Bayer 04 Leverkusen before and was very impressed by my style of play.
You were to speak to Robin Dutt so I could train with Bayer 04 Leverkusen, with Michael Ballack & co, but time did not permit as I had to leave for India as Dempo training was to commence.

Maybe next time around we'll organise that...


What do you hope and expect of the new season?

Well Dempo's did well last season, only the hectic schedule took a toll on the players where the I-League was concerned. I did well for myself last season, so I am looking forward for the new season. I want to give my best as always again this season for my club and get into the Indian team.

How was it to spend your holiday's in Europe?

I had a great holiday! Germany is an awesome place and so are the Netherlands and Belgium. I travelled around a lot of places and did many outdoor activities ice skiing, water skiing, super-bike riding, and a lot more.