Battered, but the focus is to be better in next season

Herald: Nothing went right for FC Goa this season after two successful campaigns earlier. What do you think was the reason for the downfall of the team?

Sukhwinder: The season is behind us. It has been tough and we need to go back to the drawing board. I think we are smarter for the experience and will certainly take that into account when we go about improving ourselves next year. In sport there are troughs and crests and ups and downs. This was a testing year for FC Goa on all fronts. But we are now focussed on putting the past behind us and planning the future.

Herald: What made you believe in the club?

Sukhwinder: I am a professional who sees a lot of promise in the brand that was created and developed by the passionate people. The ownership of the team believed in me to drive the management of the club in a way that matches their objectives and ambitions. Every club or organization goes through a rough patch and these testing times help the organization to become stronger.

Through the difficult phase, it was my responsibility to steady the ship as far as the management and organization of the club activities were concerned. It is important to note that we continued our efforts at the grassroots as well as community engagement level even when the 2015 season finished. The new ownership is very positive about the organisation that we have built around the club and has given us a lot of confidence. Moreover, I personally look at FC Goa not only as an opportunity to build the club but also a responsibility to develop the sport in Goa. We owe a lot to our fans and communities who have given us so much of love and I believe our work has just started and there are many frontiers to be achieved.

Herald: What made the management to decide and get back Zico to lead the team even after his continuous remarks about the teams’ participation?

Sukhwinder: It was a very easy decision. We have had two very successful seasons with Zico at the helm, and when the wheel is not broken, we saw no reason to re-invent it. Retrospectively, it’s easy to say perhaps we could have done things differently but at the time very few would have argued that he was the ideal choice.

Herald: The team consisted of a maximum number of Brazilians. What was the reason behind getting players only from one country?

Sukhwinder: All the players we signed were based on their roles and positions. The coach knows the best and if you look at all the foreign signings, each player came with a great track record either with FC Goa or their respective clubs.

Herald: Despite an unstable season 2 Lucio was signed for ISL season 3. It was noticed that the Brazilian did not feature in the last few games though he was fit. What was the reason?

Sukhwinder: Lucio played the maximum number of matches as a marquee player amongst all the ISL clubs in 2015. Retaining him was decision that was natural. Player selection is prerogative of the coach before the match starts and it is he who takes the final decision. Nobody has seen the future but we go by historical data and as per that Lucio was a part of the coach’s plan. 

Herald: Are there any chances of Zico’s return?

Sukhwinder: Well, in principle we have always had an understanding with the coach that we were working with him on a one plus two year vision. But to be better prepared and to take discussions forward, we need to understand how the league is going to be set out next year and based on that we can have more meaningful discussions.

Herald: Do you feel that the brand would have got a better start under a new owner if the team had done well?

Sukhwinder: Victory and defeat are a part of football. We have a lot to learn from this season to become better and stronger. The last match against Chennai is a testimonial of the team spirit, the talent that Goa has (Tavora) and the fan support. The owners are committed to develop the club and the sport at all levels in Goa and you would see that in coming months.

Herald: What is the way forward to make this a bottom up brand for the development of football in Goa?

Sukhwinder: We have created a good foundation with 17 grassroots centre and community engagement remains high on our agenda. I am passionate about providing Goan kids as young as 6 years, platforms where they could enjoy the sport as well as inherit the goodness of the sport. We want to work with authorities such as GFA, DYSA, SAG to integrate efforts to build the sport as well as work with organizations like GFDC to broadbase the game across the state. We are a brand that would be alive for 12 months a year and not only during months of the ISL season.

Herald: Are you willing to work towards a 100% Indian team in the future?

Sukhwinder: I think our objective has and will always remain to work towards the betterment of Indian football. We want to play our part in helping the growth of Indian football at an international level and we want to do that by giving as many Indians, and in particular Goans, a chance to play football at a high level as possible. But we also play in a league where a lot of foreigners come and lend their experience to the Indians. So betterment can always happen in more ways than one. We have never shied away from fielding Indian players in our matches and we’ll continue to do that based on merit.

Herald: Please elaborate on your development plans for 2017.

Sukhwinder: We shall share the specific roadmap and activity plans as we go along. As of now, the focus would be on grassroots, community development, fan engagement and creating capabilities to deliver a better season in the next edition of the league.