Akshay Tandon lauds Derrick Pereira following appointment as FC Goa coach

Pereira has been working with the Gaurs since 20217.

FC Goa have announced Derrick Pereira as their new head coach, after Juan Ferrando informed the club of his decision to join ATK Mohun Bagan on Sunday morning.

Just a few minutes after Goa provided released statement about Pereira’s appointment, Club President Akshay Tandon tweeted a thread on Twitter, explaining the relationship and bond between FC Goa and Derrick Pereira.

“When we took over in 2016, we didn't make any changes. We let Zico and the previous management do their thing. At the end of the season, it was clear that we needed to make many changes.”

Derrick Pereira was the first person the new management hired in early 2017. The aim was “to build a local youth-focused approach” and he was the best person to rely on.

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Speaking about the new tactician’s contributions, the President added, “Derrick played a key role in the ISL draft in 2017 to lay the foundation of this team, which still continues to exist. Identifying players like Brandon (Fernandes), Seriton (Fernandes), Naveen (Kumar) and (Mohamed) Ali that continue to play for us till today. He then went on to setup our youth teams and development team.”

The man was also involved in the recruitment process, conducting trials, selection of coaches and development for everyone who had been through the system of FC Goa.

Speaking about the key roles which Pereira took previously, the Tandon mentioned, “Derrick has also played a key role in developing young players, which includes Princeton (Rebello) and (Saviour) Gama (promoted in 2018/19) Devendra (Murgaonkar), Sanson (Pereira), Leander (D'Cunha), Flan (Gomes) (2019/20) and Papuia, Hrithik (Tiwari), Christy (Davis), Danstan (Fernandes_ (20/21). Doesn't include players who have joined other ISL/I-League teams.”

Pereira stands firm about the philosophy which FC Goa have incorporated. “Derrick has ensured that the philosophy of the club, which has always been to produce players for the first-team, remains intact. He ensures that our style of play is never compromised. This is why our development team players seem to fit into the first-team so easily,” added Tandon.

The 59-year-old has been perhaps one of the most hard-working personnel any club would love to hire. He supervises each and every training session, be it the U-14 or the U-18 or the women’s team. Tandon further noted, “There are countless days when Derrick will start his day with overseeing U-14 practice at 6 am and U-18 at 8 am. Then doing curriculum design for the grassroots at 11 am, before being in the dugout for the Dev team at 330 pm, then he will drop in to the Women's team practice @ 6pm.”

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Tandon ended his thread saying that didn’t want him for any first-team role, keeping in mind his importance in the club. “Selfishly, I haven't wanted him in the first-team role because he is so important to the club. He represents @FCGoaOfficial’s vision better than anyone and I am grateful to have him and too scared to lose him. But, things don't always go according to plan.”

This is not the first time that Derrick Pereira has stood up when the club needed him. Previously in 2019/20, after Sergio Lobera left FC Goa, it was Pereira who took up the interim head coach’s role and ultimately ended the season at the top of the table.

The President ended his thread, “Even though the circumstances aren't ideal. Once again, we turn to him to guide us out of a mid-season crisis and graciously, he has accepted. He will fit like a glove, cause he pretty much built most of it. I am sure he is going to do a great job as head coach."

Derrick Pereira has managed teams like Pune FC and Mahindra United in the past and enjoyed immense success with the latter in the mid-2000s, when the club won the then National Football League and Federation Cup.

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