MUMBAI, NOVEMBER 5: This tiny club grooms young soccer players. It has jumped three divisions in three years and has an annual budget of less than what leading Goan soccer players make every year.

Based in a small village called Cansaulin, on the way to Vasco from Margao, contractor Victor Luis Monteiro gave the club he formed his own name. The team has since proved its mettle as it made it to the first division in just two years after starting from the third. VLM has been playing first division since 1993.

The club acquired the services of former Western Railway and Central Bank of India coach Nicholas Fernandes, who says: ``VLM's strength lies in its disciplined approach and ability to play to a plan.''

Nicholas says, ``Rigorous training and good match practice has ensured that the right man is at the right place and which, according to any standard, is important to win any game.''

VLM is placed sixth with 11 points, one spot below Vasco who also have 11 points on goal difference.

VLM sports club could be called an academy for young upcoming stars. In the 1995 season, VLM lost 13 players to other clubs and two went abroad as they were offered jobs. Last season, Presley Periera (MPT), Lucino Camelo (Sesa), Joaquim Crasto, Francis Barreto (Anderson) and Gladwin Godinho (Salcete) went in search of greener pastures. The team does have some good men left still: medio and play-maker Maclene Periera, Peter Rodricks, Agnelo Colaco and custodian and ex-Churchill player Avertano Furtado.

Nicholas call his boys ``raw and young''. Manager Savio Bareto says, ``Man-to-man marking curbs the opponent's attack and gives us space to play our game.''

``Talented players like Augustino Rebello don't believe in squandering too many chances,'' said Barreto. ``The average age of the team is less than 21 years and if you bolt the door, they'll come in through the window and take away everything with them.'' Fernandes added that the team derived its speed and skill through the middle of the defence. ``The pace at the flanks, power and incisiveness of the forward line and smooth passing by defenders has stunned many bigger clubs like Churchill Brothers and Salgaocar.''

According to coach Nicholas,``We never fear our opponents.'' All the players are on a one-year contract. VLM have no plans to import players from foreign or neighbouring states as transfer fees do not fit into their sports budget. The team, unfortunately, lost in the quarter-finals of the Mini Rovers Cup in Mumbai on Monday to Western Railways.

But with their promise and potential, they can only do better in the future.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.