Akhil Rawat
AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: When the most decorated club in I-League and National Football League history reawakened and soared its way back into the I-League, it brought with itself nostalgia and rekindled hope for the future of not just Goan but Indian football.

Champions of India in 2004-05, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2009-10, 2011-12, Dempo Sports Club last played in the I-League in 2015. They were relegated that season, then won the second division in 2016, but withdrew from the I-League before the 2016-17 season. However, the Golden Eagles maintained their presence in the state league, and the 2021-22 Goan Football League title ended their six-year trophy drought. Dempo went on to defend their title, which paved their way back into the national league structure in the I-League 3. In a hectic 2023-24 season, they successfully navigated the I-League 3 group stage and the play-offs to qualify for the I-League 2, where they finished runners-up to win promotion to the I-League after nine years.

‘It’s a big thing for Indian football that Dempo Sports Club are back in the I-League,” said head coach Samir Naik, a name synonymous with Dempo SC.

“We were always there, always present in football. We were involved in our development programme. We made some solid foundation for this team to come up again. So we started our academy development programmes from which we have most of our players. That’s good for Dempo, Goan football and Indian football as a whole.

“It was important to win the Goa League to be in the third division. We won back-to-back Goa League titles and our boss Mr Shrinivas Dempo decided that we should participate in the I-League 3. Then we qualified for the I-League 2, which was, I wouldn’t say difficult, but challenging. We didn’t start off well. We were around third or fourth from the bottom, but the boys and the team showed real character and ultimately finished second to qualify for the I-League,” said the 45-year-old.

Last Saturday, Dempo drew 0-0 away at Aizawl FC in their first outing of the season. 13 players in the matchday squad were also involved in the Golden Eagles’ promotion-clinching game in the I-League 2, where they beat Sudeva Delhi FC 3-1. Seven players who featured in Aizawl had never played an I-League match before. There’s inexperience but Naik takes pride in moving forward with majorly the same group of players from the club’s development programme.

“It’s a matter of great pride for Dempo Sports Club. It was our President’s vision to have our academy and develop players from it. Last year 70 to 75 percent of our players were from our development programme. Most of our players had never played in the I-League before. They don’t have the experience. But I can see the potential in the team and the individuals that they’re going to go a long way. Dempo are going to go a long way,” said the former India full-back who played 31 matches for the country.

Naik and the club have a set vision for not just this season, but a few years down the line too. With their long-term planning, Dempo hope to become I-League champions again and climb the ladder to the ISL and even the AFC Champions League. That may sound audacious but if there’s one Indian club that’s no stranger to continental football, that’s Dempo SC. Between 2005 and 2011, they played five seasons in the AFC Cup and in 2008, became the first Indian club to reach the semi-finals beating reputed clubs like Al Muharraq, Al Ansar, Sur Club and Home United FC.

“This (I-League) is not the place where Dempo want to be. Actually, we want to go a step or two ahead. We want to win the I-League in maybe three, four years, make it to the ISL and the ultimate the goal is to play the AFC Champions League. It’s a long journey,” said Naik.

“The thing is that when Dempo Sports Club enters any competition, they always challenge for titles. But this is a new challenge for our players. A new level of football for them. We’ll see in four or five games how we’re going. My target is to finish in the top four or five. That’s the mentality we have at Dempo Sports Club,” he added.

It does not look like an easy start to the season for Dempo as they are on the road across the length and breadth of India for the first six matches. It’s only on January 10, 2025, when they will play their first home game against Inter Kashi. But Naik and his boys are eager for the challenge. Moreover, last season’s comeback in the I-League 2, where they won just one of their first four games and then went on to win seven of the next 10, is proof that they can turn things around when need be.

“We are playing our first six games away from our home, which is challenging. But then we have to be ready for the challenges. As a professional footballer, as a coach, we have to be ready for everything. That’s what football is about,” he said.

A one-club man in Indian football is a rare occurrence and as such, for Naik, who has spent more than two decades at Dempo SC as a player and coach, it’s emotional to be at the helm as they mark their return to the I-League. Multiple I-League titles, a sensational AFC Cup run, a plethora of silverware with the Golden Eagles, but Naik still labels his debut as the favourite moment of his Dempo career.

“My favourite moment? When I first played for Dempo around 26 years back. I just wanted to play one game for Dempo. One game,” he repeated to stress its significance.

“And it was a big thing for me to represent my club. Luckily, I served as a player for 18 years, and now I’m here as a coach. It’s a very proud moment that I’m associated with Dempo Sports Club. The club means everything to me because it’s my love. I am in love with Dempo Sports Club. You can say it’s the best thing to have happened to me.”