Ivan Gonzalez: Me and Juan Ferrando look at football in the same way

The veteran centre-back spoke about his move to India, playing under Juan Ferrando and his ambitions for the club.

FC Goa's newest centre-back Ivan Gonzalez joined in for an exclusive interview with Khel Now post his move to the Gaurs. The defender spoke on a variety of topics, ranging from his move to India and playing under head coach Juan Ferrando and also his objectives with FC Goa.

Gonzalez moved to Goa, having spent the majority of his career in his homeland of Spain, with spells in Romania and Germany. He is a product of the famous Malaga Academy and has represented their youth team and also others such as Real Madrid B, Alcorcon and Recreativo and so on.

Speaking about joining FC Goa, Gonzalez said, "I always wanted to play outside my country and it is perfect for me. FC Goa are a very important team in Asia right now. So, it was a great opportunity and I feel I made the best decision I possibly could. I like the FC Goa style and I like the way that Juan Ferrando wants to play. We look at football in the same way and it was easy for me to say yes to the new challenge."

He added, "The coach and Ravi (Puskur, the Director of Football) both thought that I was the perfect player for them. Looking at the project, what I thought lied ahead was something that was enticing and intriguing. It’s a great next step for my career."

Ivan Gonzalez is among a host of other signings that FC Goa have made this season. They letgo of a lot of established names who helped them top the league table last campaign. But, the transition doesn't seem to have fazed him. When asked about the same, the 32-year-old replied, "In club football, there will always be changes. It’s not new to me. We have to be ready for the season and for the AFC Champions League. Regarding the standards, this is all going to come down to effort, work-ethic and being tough on yourself and others. If we prepare and work hard in each training session, we will be closer to meeting the team's goals."

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"I’m sure that the people who work for the club have made the right decisions. The Indian players are still largely the same and the foreigners who have come in are at the peak of their careers and have shown over the years what they are all about. We will be ready for everything. I know all my Spanish teammates and they are really good. They have a lot of experience in football and it’s very good for the team and Indian players," added the Spaniard.

Gonzalez has the big boots of Mourtada Fall to fill, as the Senegalese departed to join rivals Mumbai City FC. There would be a lot of expectations from the experienced defender. Speaking of his role, he said, "I spoke to Juan about the challenges and we both love them. We are looking forward to it. We both want to give our best for FC Goa and believe that we will be successful. That’s the underlying feeling. Nothing more was necessary."

Ivan Gonzalez will join the team ahead of the 2020-21 season, which will be held entirely behind closed doors in Goa owing to the COVIID-19 pandemic. The insidious disease has laid waste to millions of human lives and the sport, which has slowly crawled back after a long pause, will be following all medical procedures and SOPs before and after the game.

ALSO READ: How FC Goa transfer strategy is different from other ISL clubs, explains Director of Football Ravi Puskur

Speaking of how he dealt with the pandemic, Gonzalez gave an honest account of the severity of the situation. He replied, "My daughter was born 25 days ago and her security and safety are the most important for me. However, the league and the club have worked really hard to provide me and my family the best there is to offer. Now, I am only thinking about football and the beginning of pre-season."

"It has been different, but it was okay. I played my last game in Spain on 26th July. It was two months ago, but we are professionals and we have to adapt to the new normal and be ready. If you want, you can train wherever you want (home, garage, forest)," said Gonzalez, making his optimism known on starting afresh with his new team.

Speaking to the fans, Gonzalez stated, "I would like to tell them that we will work very hard every day in every training session to be ready for the challenges. I hope they can soon be back with us in the stadium, supporting us like they always have. For now, I would tell them to stay safe and keep cheering us on. Forca Goa!"