Edu Bedia: Manvir Singh gained confidence after playing for India

The midfielder has been a mainstay for the Gaurs since his arrival in 2017.

Since Sergio Lobera's arrival in 2017, FC Goa's graph of success has shown a constant rise. The tactician brought along compatriots Ferran Corominas, Edu Bedia, Carlos Pena among others, thus changing the club's fortunes. Recently, Khel Now had the opportunity to interact with Edu Bedia, one of the midfield mainstays for the Gaurs. Two and a half seasons with Goa and what a player the Santander-born midfielder has been for them! The 30-year-old spoke about an extraordinary title race, 'The Spanish influence,' his time in India and more. Excerpts: [KH_ADWORDS type="3" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS] Q1: You've been constantly shuffling between the top three positions this season. What are your targets for the season? A- We know this season we have to finish first to get into the AFC Champions League. This year it's not enough wining the playoffs, as there is a big prize for finishing top in the league stage. Therefore, we will try to win both, league and playoffs. Q2: Last year the team missed out on the title at the last hurdle. Do you have confidence that you can go all the way this season? A- Last season we lost the final in the last minute against Bengaluru. But, that has given us strength to try again this season and I think we are on the right path. Q3: This is your third season at the club. How do you reflect on your time here? A- In the first season, everything was new to me and I found a completely different style of football to the one you find in Spain. But, now I'm used to it and I would like to continue playing here in India. [KH_ADWORDS type="4" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS] Q4: You are one of the core group of players who have the faith of the coach. What makes him so special? A- Keeping the core of the team and the coach for three consecutive seasons makes it very easy to understand and perform the style of football he expects. Q5: There has been a criticism that teams depend a lot on their foreign players to score goals. Do you agree with this? A- I know in football, goals are what matter at the end, but you have to do many good things on the pitch before scoring one. The players playing in front are getting goals for the club and all the other Indian players who are coming onto the pitch are doing a great job. 6. There has been a lot of criticism of referees and their handling of games this season. What is the players’ perspective? A- In my opinion, the ISL is still a new competition with only six years passing. I think there are many things that are yet to improve. [KH_RELATED_NEWS title="Related News | Article Continues Below"][/KH_RELATED_NEWS] 7. Manvir Singh has caught the eye with his performances. What are your thoughts on him? A- Manvir joined FC Goa with a lot of confidence after his display with the national team. I think he is doing a fantastic job for the team.