MAPUSA: For years Sporting Clube de Goa have contributed towards football in the State as well as country and their efforts are bearing fruit in succeeding their goal of “Growing Goa’s Game”.
Most recently, five of The Flaming Oranje stars have been chosen in the India under-23 side which has concluded its 19-day tour in the Czech Republic in preparation for the forthcoming Incheon Asian Games.
Sporting Clube had the largest representation from the I-League clubs in the India squad comprising of Keenan Almeida, Joyner Lourenco, Rowlin Borges, Ravi Kumar and Kamaljeet Singh which is a prove to their efforts.
“The five players currently in the India U-23 team is a proof that we are moving in the right direction and we must continue to work hard as a group to achieve more goals,” expressed Sporting Clube head coach Oscar Bruzon during the teams pre-season preparations at Duler Stadium, here.
Spaniard Oscar had plenty to smile about as he repeated the word “power”, after witnessing a high intensity circuit training workout which focused on plyometric power and resistance.
Although this was the second week, Oscar believes it to be the first week of pre-season training as the initial days is about team building and assessing the players level of fitness after a two-month break.
“The first few days are all about affinity, making sure the new signings and young players are welcomed by the established players in the team,” stated Oscar.
“After carrying out the aerobic and anaerobic tests, I was pleased that all the players were around the same level”.
Oscar starts his second full season at the helm of affairs and his first task will be to win the Charity Cup match against Dempo Sports Club at the same venue on August 17.
Soon, on August 24 the Goa Football Association’s Goa Professional League will kick-off and the Panjim-outfit who are the defending champions will look to retain the title.
Last season, the club also lifted the Goa Super Cup and the GFA Knock-out trophy but and were runners-up at the Federation Cup after going down to another Goan side Churchill Bros SC 3-1 in the final, in Kerala.
However, an I-League title is something that’s been missing in their cabinet even after enjoying a second position for some time in the I-League standings last year before settling for a fifth spot.
However, Oscar’s main goal will be to better that performance. They have retained their top scorer Boima Karpeh, the Liberian-Australian striker who scored 11 times while signing Spanish defender Pablo Gallardo.
Midfielder Jesus Estrocio has moved up the ranks from the junior team while another under-20 Ganesh Thakur has joined from Sesa Football Academy.
“We are always looking to improve season upon season, making sure that the curve on the graph is pointing in the right direction. We have made some great signings in the summer and I can assure the fans that we will be very competitive,” Oscar stated.
Nigerian midfielder Kalu Ogba has parted ways with the club along with Harshad Meher, Valerio Rodrigues, Rovan Pereira, Deepak Devrani, Mohan Raj, Xavier Dias, Freiman Peixoto, Dawson Fernandes and keeper Sourav Chakraborthy. They have opened doors for Kamaljit Singh, Souvik Das, Sumit Ghosh, Soumit Passi, Antao Xavier, Jarmanjit Singh, Harpeet Singh, Sesa FA’s Glan Martins and Olwin Cardozo and Dempo’s Creson Antao.
