Ahead of FC Goa’s big-ticket AFC Champions League (Group E) conflict in opposition to Qatar membership Al Rayyan on Wednesday, the Indian Super League (ISL) membership’s head coach, Spaniard Juan Ferrando, stated he needed to take some very “tough selection decisions” to place the perfect gamers on the sector.
“It has been a difficult process and needed me to make some very tough decisions. At FC Goa, we have good footballers. All of them have been doing their best for the team. Regarding the selection of foreign players from the ones I had to select from, I have praise for Ivan (Gonzalez), Igor (Angulo), Edu (Bedia), Jorge (Ortiz), and Alberto (Noguera),” Ferrando stated.
FC Goa had introduced their squad for the marketing campaign final week and it has 4 international gamers as per the Asian Football Confederation guidelines. Among these 4, one have to be from an AFC-affiliated nation, a criterion fulfilled by Australian defender James Donachie.
The different three foreigners are skipper Edu Bedia, Jorge Ortiz and Ivan Gonzalez. This has meant that the ISL 2020/21 season’s “Golden Boot” winner Igor Angulo and Alberto Noguera needed to miss out.
Ferrando stated it had not been straightforward to go away out two very good gamers for the Al Rayyan conflict and added that, “I thank them for the good work and all their efforts, not only for their display on the pitch but also for helping the team improve.”
The 40-year-old head coach added that the presence of defenders Donachie and Gonzalez would fortify the backline.
FC Goa are in Group E (West Region) and, after their sport in opposition to Al Rayyan, they’ll tackle Al Wadha of UAE on April 17 and Iran’s Perspolis on April 20.
In his first season with FC Goa, Ferrando has guided the staff to their sixth ISL semi-final look earlier than shedding to eventual winners Mumbai City FC. Asked how far he has come by way of his understanding the gamers, the Spaniard stated, “I always try to help the players improve with each passing day. And despite a great campaign in the ISL, I am aware that the team still has room for improvement. My mindset is not to think about what we have done so far but always to think of what is left to do to get closer to our goals.”
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