Joaquim Abranches will play for yet another Santosh Trophy campaign this edition and this time the flamboyant striker will lead the Goa Santosh Trophy team.
“It’s an honour to lead the State team for National competition. I actually can’t tell you what it actually feels like,” explained Joaquim Abranches.
Joaquim Abranches, the former India international, knows how it feels to be the National champion as he won it twice in the year 2005-06 and 2008-09 and the striker is eyeing his third crown.
“It’s been too long that we haven’t won the crown. I have won the title twice but this time it something different as I am leading the side and it’s a good opportunity this time to win it for the third time,” the skipper explained.
“We have lot of positive energy and the players have gelled up well. I have played with some players before and I feel we are pretty strong,” expressed Abranches.
“This year we have more young players. We just have few seniors and this could be our advantage. Last year I have played with them and I am comfortable playing with them,” added Abranches stating the combination of the squad.
Abranches is the main reference point in the centre for Team Goa and the striker wouldn’t want to get tied up in the middle. The Goa Pro League top goal scorer has scored over 25 goals for Dempo SC last season and was four times on target for Goa in the Santosh trophy and the State will bank on the striker once again in the competition.
“We just want to win the title and that’s all I’ve got on my mind,” added Joaquim Abranches.
At 33, Abranches will eye his third Santosh Trophy crown which might give him a distinct honour of being the lone Goan player to win three crowns.
The former East Bengal player has lot of backing from the coach Levino Pereira as the gaffer stated that he has selected the best strikers to get the goals. “I have a perfect strike force and as a coach I wanted to have the best strikers and Abranches is one of them and I believe he will deliver,” explained the coach.
