Juan Ferrando: Want whole of Asia to talk about Goa & Indian football

The newly-appointed Gaurs head coach spoke about the culture of football in India, the club's philosophy and future.

Juan Ferrando is a huge football fanatic. He compares it to movies and believes that it is one of the topmost priorities to ensure that the fans of the game relish watching their team play on the field.

Ferrando is so engrossed in the sport that the place where he plies his trade doesn’t matter to him. What matters, is the ability to implement a playing style that captures the imagination of the followers of the game. Unsurprisingly, the think-tank of FC Goa considered him to be the ideal man for the vacant job of head coach. He spoke to presenter Leeza Mangaldas on the official Instagram handle of FC Goa’s fan club.

“When I talked with the president and Ravi Puskur (Director of Football) two months ago, they tried to explain me about some details about Goa, about the club, about the style, mentality of young players and mentality of the state. There are a lot of points similar to what I think. I am so happy because I think it is a good project,” the 39-year old revealed.

Ferrando’s time with the Gaurs has commenced on a rather uncertain note. Doubts are looming over the resumption of training sessions for the squad. Moreover, the new gaffer hasn’t even visited the country yet. However, he is still trying his best to make the most of the limited scope that is prevalent to interact with the players currently. They are making preparations for the upcoming season through video calls for the time being.

The departure of Sergio Lobera along with a host of other players from the club signals at a period of transition for FC Goa. And Ferrando looks at it as a part and parcel of professional football. He remarked, “The last three years, Goa had good seasons, good football. But now is a new chapter. You know, it is very difficult to have the same squad for four-five years; only maybe if you have Lionel Messi at FC Barcelona or Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid.”

The tactician continued, “It is necessary to change the details, change something about the club. Our mentality is to grow. Now we are in the AFC Champions League and it is time to prepare with new players, new motivation. It’s a new project.” Whilst speaking about the fans, Ferrando showed how keen he is to please them with his craft on the field. He holds them at utmost regard and wholeheartedly praised the developing passion for the game within the country.

“I am so happy because football needs this passion, it loves this passion…The supporters not only in Goa but different places of India. I am so happy, this feeling is good because I want to work hard for these people,” he mentioned while describing his initial impression of FC Goa’s fan base and the atmosphere that they create at the Fatorda Stadium.

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The former Cultural Leonesa manager understands that the game of football is a cycle that can emanate happiness to all. For the fans to enjoy, the players need to feel the same and that could be possibly through a positive and expansive brand of football. “This is the real connection,” he said. “I want to play in attack and I want to play a good style. We want good mentality to maintain positivity. This is the real life of football.”

For an individual who is so young, one becomes curious as to how he developed so much talent and promise in the field of football management? However, when his idols are those as Pep Guardiola and Marcelo Bielsa, the confusion seems to unravel itself. “Someone I pay attention to is Pep Guardiola. His work at Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Manchester City and the possession-based style of football is so incredible.” Juan Ferrando admires Thomas Tuchel too, considering the efficiency with which his team (PSG) transitions from defence to attack.

He acknowledges the fact that one requires players enriched with immense quality to implement such tactics. However, the head coach put faith on the likes of Brandon Fernandes and others at FC Goa to properly grasp and pull off his ideas. Being someone who has such pleasant words to say about the fans, Ferrando isn’t much of a fan of playing football behind closed doors.

There is a notion floating around that the 2020-21 campaign could begin without the fans in the stands due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Though the former Volos manager understands the restrictions, he urges the supporters to come and visit the games when the situation allows them to do so. “When you have a lot of people to support, your mentality is amazing. If the stadium is empty, it is not so good because your emotions are not the same, you don’t know if you are playing at home or away.”

The FC Goa boss jokingly quipped, “It is not good for coaches either because if we say bad words maybe the referees would listen!”

Juan Ferrando appears to be someone who has a strong core set of beliefs about the sport that he aspires to follow. Hence, his association with FC Goa promises to be an interesting match. The Gaurs have formulated a wonderful system that has allowed numerous players to come through the ranks of their youth teams.

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Pondering upon the same, Juan Ferrando explained, “The future of football in India is now. If you have good skills, good plans, in the next two-three years we could have success in good players.”

He continued, “From what I have read, the federation wants to help, they want to think about the best options and help the younger Indian players. It is very important because sometimes in some places, you can sign different foreign players but that doesn’t help the young ones. But, India at this moment is thinking about its future.”

Throughout the conversation, the man emanated a very optimistic, positive persona. He spoke passionately about the intricacies of the sport, the followers of the team and of the philosophy or style that he aims to present on the field. Asked to put forth a parting message for the FC Goa fans, the Spaniard elucidated, “I want to tell everybody to come to stadium if possible; when it is possible, to enjoy the game, to support the players.”

He opined that it is going to be a good moment to compete against some of the best teams from the continent in the group stage of the AFC Champions League. “I want the whole of Asia to talk about Goa and Indian football,” Juan Ferrando concluded.