Airam Cabrera will do well in the ISL, feels FC Goa ace Alberto Noguera

The 32-year-old also spoke about the youngsters at the club, the new coach, club philosophy and more.

If orchestrating a football game is an art, Alberto Noguera could very well be the artist for FC Goa. He is someone who simply thrives in knocking the balls around and delivering key passes to his teammates. The Spaniard is here to help his Indian counterparts. Simultaneously, he also shares a beautiful bonding with compatriot Jorge Ortiz Mendoza.

A few days back, Alberto Noguera interacted with Khel Now in an exclusive chat. Here is what he had to say.

Why the Indian Super League?

Alberto Noguera joined FC Goa in 2020, ahead of the seventh edition of the Indian Super League. He mentioned that he followed the league back in Spain and also shared what made him join the Indian top-flight.

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“Yes. I followed the league (back in Spain) because I had some friends who were playing here. I took the decision because they told me great things about the league, the country and this club (FC Goa). This helped me to take this chance - to try a new league and a new country. I think it was because of that,” the midfielder began.

Difference in Spanish and Indian football at youth levels

A comparison between the sport in India and Spain is something that is not possible till now. However, in India, youngsters are being nurtured and developed in a better way nowadays. But surely, the level has to go higher.

Alberto shared his views, “Football is football everywhere. Maybe the pitch in Spain is a bit higher. In this league, they are improving in a lot of things. The level I come from and the one here in India is totally different.

“They are improving a lot – the condition in which we are training and playing. The guys (players) are also improving a lot. There are coaches who are helping to increase the level here. I am really happy here. I think we are helping the league to improve and the level is good,” he added.

Importance of philosophy

In India, we are recently witnessing clubs focusing on implementing and following a particular philosophy. This trait was irrelevant even a few years ago. Alberto stressed on the importance of following the same.

“The clubs have to find the way in which they want to play because there are teams that don’t have the soul. They have to find the spirit that they want. In Spain, we have this way to play – a style with possession.

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“There are many styles but every club has to find their own. Maybe they want to play with possession or with transition. It’s up to the coach and the club. It is very important to find this own way, because without that, it’s like a team without a soul,” the 32-year-old opined.

On the Refereeing in the ISL

The refereeing in the Indian Super League hasn’t been up to the mark in the recent seasons. From the very first match of this edition of the league, there have been decisions which could been taken in a better way.

When enquired on his take on the refereeing in the ISL, Alberto Noguera answered, “I think they are always trying their best. Sometimes they make mistakes. All of us do. I mean, maybe I miss a pass or the ball. I don’t want to do it. The referees are same like us," he quipped.

"They are human beings. They are here to help us and they are trying their best. I don’t like to criticize too much and try to help them. I focus on my game and they have to be focused on their job,” he expressed.

On Igor Angulo and Airam Cabrera

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In the 2020-21 season, Alberto Noguera and his teammates helped Igor Angulo find the net 14 times in the league. In the next season, Angulo left the club and FC Goa replaced him with another Spaniard, Airam Cabrera. The striker, however, is currently injured and had suffered another injury in the initial stage of the league. He has already scored on two occasions this season in four appearances, clocking 197 minutes on the pitch.

When enquired on the difference between these two forwards, the 32-year-old asserted, “I think both of them are great players. Igor (Angulo) was here to help the team and now Airam (Cabrera) is here to do the same. Of course, there are big differences because they are different players. Igor did a great job here and Airam will also do a great work.

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"We are here to help them to score. I think both me and the teammates are happy because both of them are great players and we are happy to play with them,” he added.

Bonding with Jorge Ortiz

The two Spaniards, Alberto Noguera and Jorge Ortiz enjoy a fabulous bonding between themselves. This can be noticed during the matches when they exchange passes.

When enquired on this bonding, Noguera mentioned, “I played with Jorge (Ortiz) many years ago. I was happy because I was able to play with him again here in FC Goa. He’s a great player and it’s very easy to play with him."

"We are doing a good job because we train harder, push harder every day. That’s the way we have to do it. We need to do it even better. We need to keep following this way to try to do it better. That’s the only way to improve,” he suggested.

Change at the helm in mid-season

FC Goa recently witnessed a managerial change after Juan Ferrando departed to join ATK Mohun Bagan and the club appointed Derrick Pereira as the interim coach. A change in such a crucial point of the season can affect any team.

Alberto Noguera shared his views on the topic, “For me, the players are the main characters here. It’s true that different coaches want different things. But we are here to follow their instructions," he said.

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"This is normal in football. If we change the coach, we need to be ready for what the new coach wants. Sometimes, it’s different. But we need to keep playing and doing our job. We need to separate things. Try not to overthink because when we change the coach, we need to keep doing what we were doing – continue training.

"It doesn’t matter (the change). Juan (Ferrando) is already out. So, we need to stop thinking about him and start thinking about the new coach (Derrick Pereira) – what he wants and just help him,” he continued.

Helping the Indian players

Previously, in a few interactions with the press, the Spaniard stated that he is here to help the Indian players.

In the interview, he shed light on the point, “I’m here to help them. If I can’t help the young players to develop their skills and help them to improve; I’m here to do that. I’m very grateful that I’m able to do it.

"We have a lot of young players in our squad who have a lot of skills and abilities to make a great future for the club and the country. I think we need to do that. We need to help them to improve. May be in the future, they will be the leaders of this team or the country. So, I’m really happy to help them,” the FC Goa ace remarked.

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Areas of improvement

With the progression of the league, FC Goa have improved in a lot of aspects. When asked about the areas where the Gaurs still need to improve in order to do better, the midfielder quipped, “We have to improve a lot of things. We are not happy because we are always trying to win. We are looking to be in the top four in this league and to do so, we need to improve in – the aerial, our finishing and a lot of things. I think that we need to go step-by-step.

"I think we are in the right path. We need to push a little bit harder. I'm sure that this team will do it. I trust all my teammates, the coach and all the staff here and I think we will be able to turn the situation and finish in the better way,“ added the Spaniard.

Message for the fans

Alberto concluded the interview with a message for the FC Goa fans. “All of us (at FC Goa) miss them. The supporters are the spirit of this team. I hope that the situation changes finally. I am really excited to see them in the stadium with us because we need them,” he signed off.

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