ISL 2016 Team Profile: FC Goa
Published at :September 29, 2016 at 10:38 PM
Modified at :September 29, 2016 at 10:38 PM
With the new ISL season just days away Khel Now profiles each of the eight participants and in this edition Its time to look at traditional powerhouses FC Goa...
Last season’s performance: Runners up After losing to arch rivals Atletico de Kolkata in the semi-finals of the inaugural season, it was one step ahead for FC Goa when they finished runners-up, losing to Chennaiyin FC in the Final of the Indian Super League last year. The Gaurs finished top of the table with 25 points from 14 matches. Wining seven, drawing four and losing only to Chennaiyin FC, Atletico de Kolkata and Mumbai City FC in the league phase. Their biggest win was against MCFC when they trashed them 7-0 in a fully-packed Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, in Fatorda, Goa. However, they also suffered an embarrassing 0-4 home defeat against the team from Chennai. Goa were up against Delhi Dynamos in the final four. They were 1-0 down from the first match of the two-legged semi-final but came back strongly at home to beat The Lions 3-0 to enter the Final. The Coach Arthur Antunes Coimbra better known as Zico is no more a new face to Indian fans as this is his third season with the Goan franchise. He has proved that he can get results even during hard times in the first season. Given the squad strength of GFC this time around, this could be the season for him to make his team play good football and win silverware.Zico brings a wealth of experience and a distinct Brazilian flavur to FC Goa
The 63-year-old started his coaching career with Japanese side Kashima Antlers in 1999, where he was the technical director of the club. But he came into the limelight when he was appointed Head Coach of the Japan national team in 2002, where he won the AFC Asian Cup in 2004. Later he joined clubs like Fenerbahçe, Bunyodkor, CSKA Moscow, and Olympiakos. In 2011 he was manager of the Iraq national team, but resigned in 2012, saying the country’s football association had failed to fulfill the terms of his contract. He was with Qatari club Al-Gharafa before moving to Goa in 2014.
FC Goa Fan Club Official Anthem - Ole Ola Forca Goa RIO MIX
Transfer Dealings
Transfers In: The first player to sign for the club this season was Pratesh Shirodkar . The midfielder played for MCFC in the last edition of the league. The 27-year-old was playing for Sporting Clube de Goa in the I-League before joining the Goan franchise in August.
Goa has also roped in former Atletico de Kolkata defender Denzil Franco and India international forward Robin Singh .
Subhasish Roy Chowdhury , Sukhadev Patil , Fulganco Cardozo , Sahil Tavora and Sanjay Balmuchu are the new signings by the club to fill the domestic quota.
Zico has also added more Brazilian zest to FC Goa by signing Julio Cesar da Silva and Richarlyson Barbosa . The Brazilian has also recruited two young talents from CR Flamengo namely Rafael Dumas and Matheus Trindade Gonçalves. The 20-year-old Matheus will be the youngest foreigner of the club, Rafael is a year older than him.
While Laxmikant Kattimani, Debabrata Roy, Keenan Almeida, Raju Gaekwad, Mandar Rao Dessai , Romeo Fernandes and foreigners like Gregory Arnolin, Luciano Sabrosa, Lucimar Ferreira da Silva (Lucio), Jofre Mateu González, Rafael Coelho and Reinaldo da Cruz Oliveira stayed loyal to the club.
Transfers Out: FC Goa will miss the services of Leo Moura, who helped them with his brilliant performances to reach the Final in the last edition of the league. Santa Cruz Futebol Clube refused to release him for ISL 2016.
Bikramjit Singh, who was a favourite of Zico for his muscle as a defensive midfielder, has signed for ATK. Another defensive midfielder Pronay Halder who was a regular in Goa’s starting XI, has signed on the dotted line for Mumbai City FC.
Last year’s hat-trick heroes also signed for two different clubs. Thongkhosiem Haokip will be wearing the yellow for Kerala Blasters, while Dudu Omagbemi will be seen playing for Chennaiyin FC. Left-back Narayan Das and Jonathan Lucca have accepted offers from FC Pune City.
Formation and Tactics
Zico will stick to his old 3-5-2 formation, flexible enough to switch to a 4-1-3-2, as per the requirement of the game.
Lucio will lead the team from center-back, while Rafael Dumas and Gregory Arnolin will support him from the sides.
Dumas will be looking to make the most of this exciting opportunity.
The 21-year-old Rafael was the captain of the U20 Flamengo youth team, that won the 2015 Junior Campeonato Carioca. Following their good performances at the junior level, both he and Matheus were integrated into the first team of Flamengo by Coach Oswaldo de Oliveira.
Season target
FC Goa are looking strong ahead of the season after finishing runners-up in the last edition of the Indian Super League. They will also be high on confidence after winning the last pre-season friendly against Brazilian heavyweights CR Flamengo. New Co-owner Jaydev Mody will be expecting at least a top for finish in the league and with electrifying support from the Goan fans, they will be the team to beat in the league this season.
Editorial by Khel Now Correspondent Ravish Narvekar from Goa . A true Football enthusiast & a die hard Liverpool fan. Ravish also enjoys travelling & he's an avid foodie.
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