Herald: How did it feel playing for Atletico Paranaense?
Romeo: It was a great experience. To be able to given a chance to play at such a high level and experience a different culture was truly an invaluable experience. I certainly learnt a lot from my time there.
Herald: Explain the mood and your line of communications when you played in the ISL with international players?
Romeo: It was a great atmosphere at FC Goa. While we had a lot of new players, the coaching staff were pretty much the same from last year. The pre-season in Dubai also was of great help as we bonded a lot there. And the guys within the group were all easy going so communication or understanding within the group was never really a problem.
Herald: How do you rate your goal conversions in the ISL?
Romeo: I would like to think I’ve done well. My main strength is playing on the wing and naturally the job is set up goals. I try to do my best out there every time I get onto the pitch. The key for me is that I try and contribute to the team in their successes. Sometimes I might play higher up the field and sometimes I also have defensive responsibilities. For me, it’s about the team. I’ll try and fill in whatever role the coach requires me to play.
Herald: What do you think impressed Zico to have you in the FC Goa squad?
Romeo: One thing I know of him is that he always gives everyone a chance to prove themselves. And he has a lot of faith in the younger players. So I guess that worked to my advantage. Then it’s upto the player to make the best of the opportunity.
Herald: Tell us about your schooling days and how you were introduced to football?
Romeo: Football is something I’ve always played as a child. Growing up, this was the sport that I truly fell in love with. And the area I come from, football is a religion. So there was plenty of encouragement
Herald: What is your parents’ role in your achievements and how do they react whenever you score the winning goal?
Romeo: They have been a great support system to me. They have always encouraged me to follow my passion and for that I’m grateful to them. While football requires you to dedicate yourself to the sport, you need to have the right environment to be able to express yourself and I have always had that at home. My parents have always kept me grounded and this has worked well for me.
Herald: If you had an opportunity to play under Coach Zico and Diego Maradona who would you choose and why?
Romeo: Zico has been a great mentor to me so I would say Zico. He’s allowed me to grow as a player and has helped me immensely. Ofcourse, they are both legends of the game and it would be a privilege to work with Maradona as well but I’ve never had the chance to so I can’t judge his coaching skills.
Herald: How do you rate your stamina while playing with international stars? Are you on a special diet?
Romeo: We are all on diets. There is nothing special as such, it’s just ensuring that the right amount of intake of each element is ensured. The club doctor normally ensures all the right nutrition is made available. And in terms of stamina, I think everybody has their own way of going about it. Each player knows his body best. So to judge stamina is hard because each player has a different function on the pitch and the body is built to ensure you are capable of performing that role to the best of your ability.
Herald: Is playing in the ISL more exciting than playing for the national team? Explain?
Romeo: While ISL is a great tournament and it’s great to play in front of large crowds, the national team always remains the ultimate recognition. There is no substitute for the pride of putting on the national team jersey.
Herald: Will FC Goa be able to deliver this season? What went wrong according to you in the final game last season?
Romeo: I’m sure the club will do everything it can to go all the way this year. From the very beginning the objective has always been to win the tournament. Every game is played to win. We are not close to the season yet but I’m sure the right squad will be put together and the team will go all out on the pitch. The last two years we have had the best facilities on offer and had a great setup which allowed us to challenge for the title. I’m sure a similar environment will be developed this time. As to what went wrong, it is football- anything can happen!
