Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: With less than 10 days left for the 2023-24 edition of Indian Super League (ISL) to kick-off, FC Goa are currently in the final phase of their pre-season preparations. Led by head coach Manolo Marquez, the Gaurs recently reached the semi-finals of the Durand Cup, and would now be keen to follow it up with a fruitful campaign in the league as well.
Marquez, meanwhile, along with players Noah Sadaoui, Udanta Singh and Muhammed Nemil also took time out of their hectic pre-season schedule to attend the ISL 2023-24 Media Day in Bengaluru on Tuesday, where they shared their thoughts on the upcoming league season and more.
“In every interview I say that it’s very dangerous to speak before the competition. We know that we want to be the Champions. But, for now, the goal is to arrive at our first match of the season in the best possible way,” Manolo Marquez said, emphasising the importance of the training sessions and the fitness of players.
The Spaniard also opened up about his time in Goa so far, saying, “I think that for a person like me who is from a country where football is like a religion, I think it’s a very nice challenge and a very nice idea to sign with a Club like FC Goa.
“I’m very happy, and confident that the season will be very good for us. For me, pressure is another reason why I think coaches enjoy this profession, as it is a part and parcel of what we do. I’m enjoying the situation too,” he added.
One of the most consistent teams since the start of the ISL in 2014, FC Goa have reached the playoffs on six out of nine occasions so far. That said, the Gaurs failed to make it in the last couple of seasons, prompting the Club’s think-tank to execute a squad overhaul this summer.
The likes of Alvaro Vazquez, Edu Bedia, Aibanbha Dohling and Anwar Ali made way for Udanta Singh, Sandesh Jhingan, Raynier Fernandes, Rowllin Borges, Boris Singh, Narayan Das, Carl McHugh, Victor Rodriguez, Odei Onaindia and so on.
In addition to this, the Men in Orange have also roped in some fresh faces such as Carlos Martinez, Paulo Retre and Jay Gupta, who are expected to make their ISL debuts in the coming weeks.
Manolo Marquez also addressed the importance of integrating players, focusing on the importance of teamwork. “It’s not always about the coach in such cases. I can tell you about a lot of teams where the players don’t like the coach – but if they are all together, finally the strength of one team is the group. If they are together as a group, there is a bigger possibility of enjoying a successful season,” he explained.
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