Onaindia and Jhingan - Do FC Goa have India’s best centre-back partnership?

The duo will be a mighty force in the heart of the Gaurs' defence.

FC Goa are heading towards a revolutionary change in fortunes. The club is making sensational strides in the transfer market ahead of the 2023-24 season. Following the acquisition of Manolo Marquez as their head coach, the Gaurs are building a team capable of fighting for titles.

Ahead of the 2023-24 season, FC Goa will have Odei Onaindia and Sandesh Jhingan as their centre-back partnership in the heart of the defence. They are some of the finest defenders that the Indian Super League or Indian football at large has seen. They have been responsible for bringing a lot of success to their previous clubs.

FC Goa’s acquisition of these two players is a major step in the right direction. The individuals have never played together but possess the experience to forge an airtight defence. With Manolo Marquez at the helm, the partnership is going to be promising and is likely the best in Indian football at the moment. Here are a few reasons that support the claim.

Winning Mentality

Both Odei Onaindia and Sandesh Jhingan have won trophies for their previous football clubs in India. The former won the ISL title with Hyderabad FC in 2021-22 and the latter won the 2022 Durand Cup and reached the finals of the ISL and the Super Cup in 2022-23 with Bengaluru FC.

The duo will bring a hunger to win titles at FC Goa, which is a top priority for Manolo Marquez. It has been a while since the Gaurs won a trophy with their last triumph coming back in 2021, winning the Durand Cup. Winning a trophy requires players that are leaders and keep the team’s morale high for the whole campaign. In order to achieve silverware, Onaindia and Jhingan will play vital roles for FCG. 

Experience

FC Goa needs leaders who will take control and guide the team through pressure situations. Their shortcoming during the 2022-23 season was crumbling under difficult situations and failing to perform under the weight of expectations. Odei Onaindia (33) and Sandesh Jhingan (29) have played extensively in Indian football. The Spaniard has played 41 matches in two seasons while the Indian has played 129 matches in the ISL.

They have performed leadership roles in previous clubs and that will come in handy while representing the Gaurs. Manolo Marquez will have not one, but two figures at the back that he can rely on and grind out results. It helps that the Spanish head coach has worked previously with Onaindia, which suggests he will build a team around him, hoping to replicate the success the duo achieved in Hyderabad FC.

Defensive Solidity

Any football club that has ambitions of winning trophies must build a strong defence. FC Goa has probably the strongest defensive partnership in Odei Onaindia and Sandesh Jhingan in Indian football, considering their qualities and track record. The former led HFC’s defence in the 2022-23 season and conceded only 16 goals in the league stage, the least for any team in the division.

On the other hand, Sandesh Jhingan was part of a Bengaluru FC team that conceded 23 goals, having the fourth-best defence in the league. The centre-back finished the season with 165 clearances and 33 blocks, proving to be a key player for the Blues. 

With these two individuals working together for FC Goa in defence, it is not a far-fetched claim that they likely have the best defensive third in India.