Sergio Lobera’s good work with Indian players the reason I chose FC Goa, says Seiminlen Doungel
FC Goa’s new recruit Seiminlen Doungel has stated that Sergio Lobera’s brilliant work in developing and improving Indian players with his style was one of the reasons he chose the Gaurs. The former Kerala Blasters star also said that Lobera has given a different identity and philosophy to the club.
FC Goa have a major chunk of Indian players who have been performing really well over the last two seasons under manager Lobera. With winger cum left-back Mandar Rao Desai becoming a real fan favourite playing on the left flank, the likes of Brandon Fernandes, Jackichand Singh, and Seriton Fernandes have really caught the eye balls the last season.
Though the likes of Ferran Corominas, Edu Garcia, and Ahmed Jahouh have been the lynchpins to the side in the last two seasons, Lobera’s system has enough space for the local players to prove their mettle and consequently excel. Doungel cited the example of Jackichand Singh who has looked a completely different player since moving from Kerala Blasters to Goa last summer.
“As mentioned before, the coach’s style surely helped Jacki to perform better and maximize his potential. One of the reasons for me to choose Goa was the way the coach has worked with a lot of Indian players to develop and improve their game. I feel I’ll be able to learn a lot from the coach, especially in terms of my movement and approach both in attacking and defensive situations,” said Doungel in an exclusive interview with SportsCafe.
Though goals and assists wise, Jacki has been just one goal better than his stint with the Blasters, he has been a constant threat for opponents last season on that left flank, a vibrancy that was missing from his play in Kerala. It eventually helped him get a national call under Igor Stimac.
Kerala have been in transition for two seasons now. The season 2017-18 saw René Meulensteen taking over from Steve Coppell before David James took his place. Last season wasn’t very different either as James was kept for two-third of the season before Nelo Vingada took charge. The repeated upheaval surely affected the side that eventually finished second from the bottom on the table.
Doungel refused to blame the managers he played under last season stating that each one had their own style of playing - although the fans had resorted to boycotting matches owing to James’ blunt playing style – and opted to look forward to his time under the Spaniard at the Fatorda, who, he believes, has brought an identity to the club.
“Every manager has his own way of leading the team and I have tried to take as many positives from the different managers I’ve played under for both my career on and off the pitch. Sergio Lobera has given FC Goa an identity and a way of playing that is helping the players develop consistently under a common philosophy. The club is improving year on year in a similar way as the coach and most players have stuck together as a unit,” said Doungel.
Kerala Blasters had a promising squad on paper, which led many to believe that they were one of the prime contenders for the playoffs. However, with James’ unsuccessful ploy on the counters and a misfiring forward line, they could score just 18 goals in 18 games. Doungel, who was a regular in that lineup, did create quite a few chances but conversion remained a constant problem.
And the winger stated that he was trying to improve upon it. “I am happy that I could help the team create chances in the final third but football is ultimately about putting the ball in the back of the net.”
“I am just as happy assisting as I am scoring as it is important to focus on the collective objectives of the team more than the individual. I continue to work hard on improving all aspects of my game including finishing chances,” he concluded.
0
0
0
0
0
0
Comments
Sign up or log in to your account to leave comments and reactions
0 Comments