19 May 2020  |   04:09am IST

Can you hear the drums ( Juan) Fernando?

Juan Fernando the new coach of FC Goa has said that he loves the Fatorda stadium from whatever he’s seen of it online and on TV. The tragic irony is that the hallowed turf of the stadium, the home of FC Goa is now a quarantine centre. He will not hear the drums, the songs, and the claps. Nor will he hear the roar of the fans. But he will, we are sure, feel the power and the pain of fans as FC will need a lot of time to regroup and rebuild its team

Ajit John;

Juan Ferando has a mammoth task ahead with great uncertainty under the COVID 19 pandemic. This year FC Goa will have a most difficult season not only because most star players like Jahou, Mortada Fall, and Mandar have left the club but FC Goa has lost a legend like Lobera. The sheer fact that half a dozen players left the club proves that  Sergio Lobera never lost the dressing room. As far as new coach is concerned it will be very difficult as we see an uncertain future. I don’t know how football tournaments will see the light of the day coming season. Matches without spectators will mean deafening silence at Fatorda. Juan may have proved himself in Spain but Indian weather conditions, and shaping the new team especially with new signings will not be a cakewalk for him.

Shubham Faldessai, Self Employed Quepem

 

Ever since Sergio Lobera left FC Goa Fans have seen that one by one players have started to part ways with the club. So, it will be very difficult for the new coach, Juan Fernando, to fill in the boots of Lobera whose success story is not hidden from anyone.

Under present circumstances with the virus now rampant and a new team with a new set of players it will be very difficult for the new coach to shape the team. The practice sessions and pre-season will be interesting to see when the Spanish coach actually gets to fly to Goa

- Asher Antao, Student Navelim

 

We have heard a lot about the new coach Juan Fernando through social media. I am a die-hard FC Goa fan and have the firm opinion that sacking Sergio Lobera was the biggest mistake of the current management. Our team was in sync and we also had a positive dressing room. We have now qualified for the Asian Championships due to the three years of hard work by the previous coach.  Now when Ferrando sets foot at the Fatorda with a whole set of new players it will be very difficult for the different players from different clubs and countries to form a connection and understanding on the field. We must not forget that most of our starting 11 have left the club and now with speculations of Hugo also not sure of returning, will make things worse for FC Goa-

 Tejit Bandekar, Businessman Marcel Ponda

 

A whole set of new players and under COVID 19 with a whole set of new restrictions and guidelines to be followed by the players will have to adapt to conditions never seen before ever. The young blood like Brandon Fernandes, Lenny Rodrigues, Princeton Rebello, Hugo, and Saviour Gama will be a great mix for Juan Ferrando to experiment with  However, it is certainly not easy to match Lobera’s  benchmark in this present era- 

Ritesh Raikar, student Colva

 

It’s a phase wherein all at FC Goa will continue to work hard for the one dream of lifting the ISL Trophy. If Juan Fernando continues the legacy of Lobera of exciting attacking football popularly known as Tiki-Taka, I think FC Goa players will adapt it easily and the transition of Lobera to Juan will be smooth. FC Goa fans no doubt will always be in debt to Lobera for the glorious 3 years, he gave us. Now it’s up to how Juan Fernando and Clifford Miranda to take the reputation of FC Goa ahead, especially when we already have heard that Jahou and Mortada will not return

- Jesus Aaron Fernandes, Self Employed Margao