PANAJI
They are expected to begin their training at Head Coach Arthur Antunes Coimbra’s Football Academy, Zico 10 on August 31. In their time in Brazil they will feature in a few pre-season friendlies before returning to Goa on September 25.
Speaking to Sukhvinder Singh, CEO of FC Goa, it was learnt that the team was to depart from Goa for Mumbai at around 3.10 pm from whereon they would take a connecting flight at 10 pm for Rio. The team is expected to arrive in Rio on Tuesday at around 2pm IST.
According to Sukhvinder, the FC Goa squad will commence their ISL 3 pre-season training on August 31.
“I think they will take a day to get settled and rested. Next day, we plan to get everyone onto the pitch and may be, start off with the fitness sessions,” he said. When asked about the friendly fixtures that they would play, the franchisee CEO replied that they are still in the planning stages. “Initially, we are looking at the squad’s final date of arrival and departure and based on that the sessions will be planned. The coach (Zico) knows the best. My feeling is initially, they will focus on the fitness drills aspect and subsequently get into the practical part,” he went on to add. When asked which are the players that would be leaving from Goa, he stated that he ensured that all the available Indian players came to Goa to leave together. “We had a gathering on Sunday. It was a family coming together including the support staff. All came in on Sunday. We had a small ceremony to hand over the official jerseys to them because it is a training tour. I wish them all the luck,,” he told The Goan. Talking further, he disclosed that everyone from the Indian side is travelling to Rio barring three members.
Fulganco Cardozo, who is currently duty-bound with the national team has an international engagement in Mumbai on September 3 against Puerto Rico, while Raju Gaekwad and Sanjay Balmuchu (both Mohun Bagan) are currently committed with the Calcutta Football League and would join on a later date.
When asked to divulge on when these players would take a flight to Rio, Sukhvinder revealed that while Cardozo would depart on September 4, the two Mohun Bagan players will join in with the rest of the squad on 10th or 11th September.
On the international players, he said that the players based in Europe would target reaching Rio on August 31, while the Brazilian players will ensure to be there accordingly as it is a very short flight they have to take. Asked when the official announcement of the final squad of FC Goa will be made, he stated that it will be done as soon as the team is back with an event created involving the players to interact with the media. But when pressed further, stating that the fans are left in the dark and would love to have the entire player list out at the earliest given that the squad is on their way to Rio, Sukhvinder gave a reply that they will release the player list as and when all the formalities are completed. Probed further when? His reply came, ‘very, very soon.’
