AGENCIES
NEW DELHI
Daryl Duffy is that character in the dressing room that every manager looks to when the chips are down. Perhaps also the go-to man when you need someone to ‘tighten the screws’ at both ends of the drawer. FC Goa unveiled their final foreign signing Duffy a few hours prior to their aircraft’s scheduled take-off to Dubai. The paperwork had to be done as soon as possible and the Scot was the one enforcing proceedings.
In Dubai, FC Goa won three out of the four games played during pre-season and the former Swansea City striker is pleased with the team’s performances.
“Pre-season has been great. We have had two or three, sometimes four training sessions a day and we all feel really good fitness wise," Duffy told goal.com. "It gave us time as a team to bond together. We all really gelled well, everyone's mixing well - Jofre (Mateu), the Indian boys, myself; there’s no divide, we’re mixing well together which is very important.”
FC Goa however, had a less than spectacular start to their inaugural ISL campaign, with the team finding themselves at the bottom of the table, midway through the season. A change in fortunes took place rather rapidly as the Gaurs found themselves running past oppositions a lot and finished in second place as the league ended. It was a case of so-near-yet-so-far for Zico’s trrops though as a passage to the finals was blocked by eventual champions Atletico de Kolkata, but Duffy remains positive of FC Goa’s prospects this season.
“We want to win it. I think if you ask any team they would give you the same answer, they would all want to win, we are no different. The reception we got in Dubai, when we got back here, the support is fanatical and they deserve it as much as we do and with the hard work we are putting in so far, the aim has to be to win it,”opined the forward .
Duffy’s career indicated a move to the subcontinent in the green of I-League stalwarts Salgaocar in 2013. The Scot’s industry and flair in front of goal has culminated in a total of 21 goals in 38 appearances for the Goan giants. His move to FC Goa was ideal.
“They were looking for a striker, last minute and being in Goa already didn’t do me any harm and I could join up with the team immediately. It was really a last minute move and also a move I was desperate to get through so that I could be with the guys straight away from day one which I think was very important,” he elucidated.
“Goal-wise I get asked every season what would be the target for me but I don’t really set targets for myself. But yes, being top goal scorer for FC Goa would be absolutely amazing but I can do with the team winning the trophy over being top goal scorer,” he added.
The heat at Tilak Maidan, Vasco can get nerve-racking on most days. Footballers prefer to hit the ground early and wind up earlier, Duffy has other plans. Post the shutterbugs and the formalities of the squad unveiling, the team engaged in a training session which lasted for 60 minutes. Duffy along with a squad goalkeeper ensured he worked on his finishing till the sun let him see the ball hit the back of the net.
“Yes, maybe I have a point to prove like everybody in the football world. Some people are dubious about me playing in the ISL purely because I’ve been playing in the I-league for the last couple of years. For myself, for Luciano and for the rest of the boys who have played in the I-League, it is a good oppourtunity to show that the I-League have some good foreigners who are more than good enough to play in the ISL. That’s the point I would like to prove.”
“The fans can expect a lot from us. We are a good unit and the fans can expect that we will fight till the last minute to win every game to win the tournament. And if we win the tournament it would be an incredible achievement for myself, the fans and for the state of Goa as well,” concluded the 31 year-old.
