By the time you read this, you would be of the knowledge that teams have more or less arrived in Goa in preparation for the ISL. The same goes for FC Goa as well. Having quarantined initially at one place, pre-season training has already begun. And now we head into our official quarantine and look to be back on to the field in a week’s time.
This has been a year to remember. However, sadly for the wrong reasons. The new normal threw at us several challenges which so many of us have been able to overcome. I would like to congratulate all, but it is extremely important at this stage to not let our guard down and understand that the fight still rages on.
For me personally, as a footballer, the return to pre-season training has been a milestone. The buzz of the dressing room and the training drills have brought a sense of normalcy. I hope everyone finds that soon.
Throughout this testing off-season, the club and the officials have only been a call away. And the way we have been able to smoothly transition into the pre-season is a testament of the professionalism of the people in the club and the league.
To begin with, I had my doubts on whether we will have a season to look forward to. It was all helter-skelter on the mental front. We were all thrown out of sync and taken aback with the lockdown, but in this digital age, we are really fortunate to have all this technology available to us and stay in touch. This allowed us not only to stay in touch but also keep fit, train from our homes and get regular feedback and plans from the coaching team. I have enough equipment around the house that I was able to get in a pretty good workout every week.
Physically, I feel really good. I used every means possible to stay in shape and also managed to play a bit with my brother and other family members living nearby. It was just kicking the ball around, but it was a great feeling to know that my legs were put through a drill every day. It wasn’t the same as a normal off-season by any measure, but we had to make the most of what we had. And that goes to every player in the team.
The young guns
This is a club that doesn’t stop work on getting better. And in this world of football, if you stay still, you will see others breeze past you. FC Goa is not a club that allows that.
In this season of change that is upon us, I am really excited that the club has really focussed on bringing in some brilliant new faces. This season, the team has certainly turned a lot younger with a number of astute signings of players who are 23 or below. Young Goans like Leander (D’Cunha), Sanson (Pereira) and Devendra (Murgaonkar) along with the likes of Phrangki (Buam) and (Makan) Chothe are pushing all the veterans every day in training. I'm impressed that they have challenged us in practice. Whether it was Phrangki or Sanson, I thought they played beyond their years. I didn't see a lot of mental errors. I didn't see a lot of blown assignments. They have not only impressed but have also been good consistently in training. They represent the future of the club, and it’s on seniors like me to show them the way. I will certainly have a chip on my shoulders this season.
(Indian international Lenny Rodrigues plays as midfielder for FC Goa)
