ISL: FC Goa to rely on 4-man leadership team

With multiple engagements this season owing to the club’s participation in the AFC Champions League alongside the Indian Super League (ISL), FC Goa have announced a 4-man leadership team with long-standing Spanish midfielder Edu Bedia named club captain.

Indian midfielder Lenny Rodrigues will helm the role of the vice-captain while Seriton Fernandes and Ivan Gonzalez round off the quartet, according to a press release by the club.

Similar to what ATK FC did last season when they had Arindam Bhattacharya, John Johnson, Agus Garcia, Pritam Kotal, Prabir Das and Pronay Halder form the core group of leaders, the Gaurs will have four individual players take the mantle of leadership in an effort to streamline decision-making and facilitate better exchange of ideas according to head coach Juan Ferrando.

https://twitter.com/FCGoaOfficial/status/1322864046199119872

The 39-year-old Spaniard also mentioned that the captains had been selected via an internal voting after the players got to know each other following a week of training and that this allowed the new players in the side to weigh in and make their voice heard as well.

“For me, it was important to have a leadership group and not only one player heading as captain. Several people sharing this responsibility allows them to share opinions and implement a final decision in the fairest way possible,” Ferrando said.

He also elaborated on the importance of the experienced foreign players stepping up and leading by example.

"Not only the captains but all foreign players in the squad know that, aside from their work on the field and on the training pitch, they have the responsibility of helping the youngsters and providing them with the information they might need to grow as a person and a footballer,” he expressed.

FC Goa begin their ISL journey on the 22nd of November when they meet Bengaluru FC for what should be a cracking battle between two very good sides.

Also read: Emulating Sergio Lobera and finding FC Goa’s best XI — Juan Ferrando’s challenges