Bruno Coutinho seeks refuge in golden deeds

Under a cloud caused by non-selection to the forthcoming Bangkok Asian Games commencing shortly, Coutinho lifts the gloom by recalling one moment that had countless watching on television into raptures — and silenced 1,20,000 East Bengal fans at the Salt Lake City Stadium, Calcutta.

Soft spoken and modest, Coutinho goes down memory lane on request.

He flashes back to his happiest footballing moment: “Savio (Medeira) passed the ball to me. I chested it, let it bounce and volleyed from 18 yards high into the goal.”

It was Coutinho’s second in the match. He shot Salgaocar intothe lead in the first half by what appears to be an even better goal. A pass from Nigerian striker Jude Odegah met by a right-footer from 20 yards out that beat the ‘keeper.

Coutinho’s name is identified with Salgaocar. A club that he loves, and one that loves him.

If the National selectors think he is too old to play at 29, his actions suggest otherwise. Coutinho appears to be getting better and better.

“Age is not an issue,” he says. “Fitness is. And as long as I am fit, and as long as my legs are good I’ll play.”

Coutinho’s legs are in fine shape alright. He recently scored five goals in eight matches to help Salgaocar lift Goa’s first-ever fully professional league title. And he kept up the fine form in the Rovers Cup until the semi-finals before Salgoacar were outgunned in a penalty shootout by local side Central Railway.

Coutinho’s senior international career began in 1989 at the President’s Gold Cup at Dhaka. He was bestowed captaincy in 1991 at the Pre-Olympic event at Hyderabad. Otherinternational campaigns covered the 1995 and 1997 SAF Championships, the Asia Cup in Malaysia and the 1997 Nehru Cup at Kochi.

With Dad Alex a competitive footballer, followed by elder brother and mentor Bernard, Coutinho was likely to follow suit.Sheer talent helped him catch the eye, right from schooldays at St Anthony’s in Goa, where ex-Sesa player Salvador guided his first steps on the pitch.

Salgaocar was quick to recruit him. Save a stint in 1992 when he played for Dempo, Coutinho has remained loyal to his old club.

But even after a chronology of feats the nation over, Coutinho sadly is yet to receive fulfillment from Indian soccer. Not merely because of the vagaries of selection which does not spare player, captain or coach but also a lack of imagination that starves the sport of proper means to progress.

He supports the National Football League movement but not as many as four foreigners per side. “Sub-standard foreign players don’t help our cause any,” Coutinho said. “Two would be fine andwould prompt clubs to recruit quality players,” he reasons.

Coutinho calls for increased foreign competition for the country’s players and more academies to refine raw talent. He also called for better playing conditions and facilities.

Coutinho’s dreams did not receive much encouragement at the Rovers Cup where the organisers made players do with sub-standard balls. It adds to his despondency about Indian soccer and its ever-sinking FIFA world ranking. Something that comes to him as no surprise.