I am grateful to play for Chennaiyin FC, says Chennaiyin FC attacker Vincy Barretto ahead of Durand Cup clash

Vincy Barretto has scored their only goal in the competition so far.

Goan Vincy Barretto has established himself as a regular in the Chennaiyin FC squad and is currently one of the senior players of their squad in the 133rd IndianOil Durand Cup. Chennaiyin FC are currently in third place in Group D having suffered narrow defeats in their opening two matches and are out of the qualifying race.

Speaking about his introduction to football, Vincy said, “I have come from the streets of Goa. I used to play a lot on the streets, one coach saw me and picked me up to train at a very early age. I started to play for a village club and after that, he took me to Raya FC and then to Sporting Club de Goa, and eventually to Dempo SC. Because of him, I am a footballer today.”

Vincy then moved to FC Goa, where he featured for the side’s reserve side playing in the Goa Pro League and the I-League 2nd Division. He made a move to Gokulam Kerala FC ahead of the 2020-21 I-League season and won the league with the Malabarians. He was then able to gain attention from ISL side Kerala Blasters and eventually landed in his current side Chennaiyin FC a season later.

“It’s been a good journey so far in various clubs under various coaches. Right now, I am in Chennaiyin and I am grateful to be playing for this great club. The club has given me good opportunities to play and prove myself. When you keep getting playing opportunities, you can keep improving and become the best version of yourself,” he said while speaking about his short career so far.

Having played for various clubs across various levels, Vincy has had a career full of learnings. The 24-year-old said, “I try to improve the smallest things that I can. I try to spend more time to improve my skills to be at the level where I want to be. As a young player, you always have to learn and keep listening to your coaches on their instructions. To be the best player, you have to do all the things correctly which I feel I can do by playing more minutes.”

During the 132nd edition of the Durand Cup, Vincy Barretto scored against Delhi FC to help Chennaiyin secure a 2-1 win and he scored against Jamshedpur FC in this year’s Durand Cup when Chennaiyin went down with a 2-1 scoreline. “It is always an honour to play in the oldest tournament in Asia.

We get to face different teams from the other divisions as well as the armed forces. This helps us to improve ourselves and I am so grateful that I am getting opportunities to showcase my talent in this prestigious tournament,” Vincy said about his experience of playing in the Durand Cup.

“The Durand Cup gives you the competitive game time to prepare yourself for the ISL season ahead. We are happy as a young team to get this opportunity to play in this tournament,” he further added.

After making his move to Chennaiyin FC, he has been able to get regular game time and hone his skills. After the head coach rejoined the Marina Machans ahead of the 2023-24 ISL season, Vincy earned 20 caps for his side and scored a goal in the process.

While speaking about Coyle’s influence on his football, Vincy said, “He always tells me to keep playing simple football; the best players always play simple football. He gives us the freedom to do something extra when we are inside the opposition box, but otherwise, he demands us to play simple football. I always make sure to listen as much as I can and get as much information from him. I am really happy and grateful to play under him.”

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