I knew that my chance in senior team would soon come, says Brandon Fernandes
AIFF
Brandon Fernandes, who made his debut in the King’s Cup last month, has mentioned that he knew that he will get a call from the senior Indian football team soon. Fernandes has also added that the style of football was the same both in the Indian team during the King’s Cup and in FC Goa in the ISL.
After some good performance for the FC Goa unit in the Indian Super League, Brandon Fernandes made his debut for the senior Indian team at the King’s Cup last month. India finished third in the tournament which was the first international event for the newly-appointed chief coach Igor Stimac and as many as six players made their debut in the four-nation tournament in Thailand.
Fernandes has said that he was waiting to get a call from the AIFF for the national side and had a belief that it will happen soon.
“It was a great experience to get my first India cap, that too against a top side like Curacao. I had been waiting to get into the team for a while. I knew that my chance would soon come. The Coach eventually called me up, and I will eternally remain grateful to him,” Fernandes told the AIFF website.Â
The attacking midfielder from Goa was delighted to see the style of the game by the Indian team in the King’s Cup and stated that it was quite similar to that they were playing with in the ISL.
“The way we were playing, both in the camp and in the King’s Cup was quite similar to how we play at FC Goa. So it was quite easy for me to fit into the system. It’s a style of play which is built on passing the ball, and creating chances,” the Goan footballers explained.
In his first international event, the midfielder had a lot of things to learn from the senior members in the Indian team. The Igor Stimac-coached team is now preparing for the upcoming four-nation Intercontinental Cup which will commence from July 7 in Ahmedabad.
“I learn a lot from the experienced players at the camp ahead of the King’s Cup. Training with players of such quality means that you get to pick up the little things that they do differently on the pitch, that perhaps sets them apart.
“It’s just been a couple of matches now. The Intercontinental Cup will be crucial in preparing the team. I would give it my to be in the final 23,” the midfielder signed off.
