Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Dempo Sports Club midfielder Mandar Rao Desai was delighted with the two-week trial-cum-training stint with Spanish La Liga side, Villarreal CF and felt that the communication with the coaches and players helped him to hone his skills.
“The relation with the Villarreal CF coaches and players began very well and the interaction with them was the plus point for me”, Mandar said.
“I got the opportunity through a company called IOT, who runs Arsenal school in India and are in good relation with Villarreal. The company is in search of an Indian player for training. I was the lucky one to get selected as I was playing in ISL and also for the Indian team”, Mandar added.
“I hope I have impressed them (Villarreal CF). If I am selected I will get an opportunity to play in the Villarreal’s second division team which will help me out to show my skills at the international level,” he quipped.
“Training in India and Villarreal is totally different. The facilities, pitches and the coaching techniques are different from Indian football. The similarities between Zico and Villarreal are nearly the same”, he added.
Mandar felt that it is not enough for him to learn the skills and keep it to himself. He feels that he should share it with others.
“I always love in sharing my skills to my juniors in Goa. I always help them out. I learnt my football from Goa but there is a vast difference between here and there. There is need of such training in India. It is not that Indian training is bad but their training and techniques are much better and will help Indian football to reach at the higher level”, he said.
On FC Goa build up Mandar said retaining the same players will be a big boost for the team.
“As most of the team players are the same and since we have been playing together, communication will be easier and also last year’s experience will help us bring home the ISL title”.
“I have been playing under Zico for the last two years and he has helped me in building up my football. He is really a good coach. He has treated me like his own son and always guides me in the right direction.”
There are rumours that FC Goa will lose support after the change in ownership.
“I feel that the ownership should not make any difference as the fans should support the team and should not think of the owner. The owner will not play he will just own the club. Look at Chelsea club who has a Russian owner, but the Antonio Conte team always has home support,” he added.
