Led by head coach Manolo Marquez, the Men in Orange recently reached the semi-finals of the Durand Cup, and would now be keen to follow it up with a fruitful campaign in the league as well.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Marquez, meanwhile, along with players Noah Sadaoui, Udanta Singh and Muhammed Nemil also took time out of their hectic pre-season schedule to attend the ISL 2023-24 Media Day, where they shared their thoughts on the upcoming league season and more, reports ISL.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIn every interview I say that it\u2019s very dangerous to speak before the competition. We know that we want to be the Cup winners. But, for now, the goal is to arrive at our first match of the season in the best possible way,\u201d Manolo Marquez said, emphasising the importance of the training sessions and the fitness of players.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Spaniard also opened up about his time in Goa so far, saying, \u201cI think that for a person like me who is from a country where football is like a religion, I think it\u2019s a very nice challenge and a very nice idea to sign with a club like FC Goa.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI\u2019m very happy, and confident that the season will be very good for us. For me, pressure is another reason why I think coaches enjoy this profession, as it is a part and parcel of what we do. I\u2019m enjoying the situation too,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
One of the most consistent teams since the start of the ISL in 2014, FC Goa have reached the playoffs on six out of nine occasions so far. That said, the Gaurs failed to make it in the last couple of seasons, prompting the Club\u2019s think-tank to initiate a squad overhaul this summer.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The likes of Alvaro Vazquez, Edu Bedia, Aibanbha Dohling and Anwar Ali made way for Udanta Singh, Sandesh Jhingan, Raynier Fernandes, Rowllin Borges, Boris Singh, Narayan Das, Carl McHugh, Victor Rodriguez, Odei Onaindia and so on.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In addition, the Men in Orange have also roped in some fresh faces such as Carlos Martinez, Paulo Retre and Jay Gupta, who are expected to make their ISL debuts in the coming weeks.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Marquez also addressed the importance of integrating players, focusing on the importance of teamwork. \u201cIt\u2019s not always about the coach in such cases. I can tell you about a lot of teams where the players don\u2019t like the coach - but if they are all together, finally the strength of one team is the group. If they are together as a group, there is a bigger possibility of enjoying a successful season,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Noah Sadaoui, who finished last season in the ISL with a whopping 20 goal contributions - 11 goals and 9 assists - expressed great excitement in linking up with his teammates once again.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Asked about his thoughts on the new signings, he said, \u201cGuys like Udanta, Sandesh, Raynier - I\u2019ve faced them all. I\u2019ve always thought they were good players. I\u2019m very happy that they are in our team now.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Formerly of Bengaluru FC, Udanta Singh joined the Gaurs this summer ending a nine-year association with his previous club. \u201cIt\u2019s fine really. In fact, change is the only constant, and it\u2019s always exciting to have a fresh challenge in front of you. Of course, it feels a bit emotional to return (to <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Bengaluru for the Media Day and meeting former teammates), but I\u2019m in a different jersey and I\u2019m committed to my new team now.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThere is no pressure really. It\u2019s entirely up to me to show consistency and do well when given the opportunity. We have a good squad, and we hope to have a good season,\u201d the winger commented.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Muhammed Nemil, who played a crucial role in FC Goa\u2019s Durand Cup triumph in 2021, shared his thoughts on his development as a footballer. A product of the esteemed Reliance Foundation Academy, the 21-year-old lauded their efforts, saying, \u201cThey have helped me in all ways possible - not just me, but every other youngster who is a part of the academy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cTheir involvement goes beyond football as they help us focus on our academics, personal and professional living and much more. I believe that they are one of the best academies in India.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The youngster also credited the ISL for opening up new avenues in football development in the country. \u201cI\u2019ve heard that the infrastructure and opportunities for footballers were lesser before. It has changed now, and surely the league has been playing its part,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\r\n\r\n", "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2023\/09\/confident-that-the-isl-season-will-be-a-good-one-for-fc-goa-manolo-marquez.webp", "alt_img": "Confident that the ISL season will be a good one for FC Goa: Manolo Marquez", "alt_title": "Confident that the ISL season will be a good one for FC Goa: Manolo Marquez", "image1": null, "video": null, "seo_title": "Confident That The ISL Season Will Be A Good One For FC Goa: Manolo Marquez On Cricketnmore", "seo_desc": "Confident That The ISL Season Will Be A Good One For FC Goa: Manolo Marquez, Indian Super League: With less than nine days left for the 2023-24 edition of Indian Super League (ISL) to kick-off,.", "seo_keywords": "Indian Super League, FC Goa, Manolo Marquez, Durand Cup, Noah Sadaoui, Udanta Singh, Muhammed Nemil, Media Day, The Spaniard, Alvaro Vazquez, Edu Bedia, Aibanbha Dohling, Anwar Ali, Sandesh Jhingan, Raynier Fernandes, Rowllin Borges, Boris Singh", "tag": "", "tagging": "Indian Super League, FC Goa, Manolo Marquez, Durand Cup, Noah Sadaoui, Udanta Singh, Muhammed Nemil, Media Day, The Spaniard, Alvaro Vazquez, Edu Bedia, Aibanbha Dohling, Anwar Ali, Sandesh Jhingan, Raynier Fernandes, Rowllin Borges, Boris Singh", "status": "1", "img_rpt": "0", "google": "1", "standout": "0", "edapps": "0", "pulse": "0", "no_index": "0", "feed": "0", "fixture": null, "slug": "confident-that-the-isl-season-will-be-a-good-one-for-fc-goa-manolo-marquez", "user_id": "0", "read_count": "0", "ians_date": null, "ians_time": null, "server_time": null, "trash": "0", "view_count": "977", "page_break": "0", "instant_articles": "1", "auto_link": "0", "created": "2023-09-14 10:32:47", "updated": "2023-09-14 10:32:47", "img_from": "Image Source: IANS", "img_source": null, "schedule_publish": null, "news_keywords": "Indian Super League, FC Goa, Manolo Marquez, Durand Cup, Noah Sadaoui, Udanta Singh, Muhammed Nemil, Media Day, The Spaniard, Alvaro Vazquez, Edu Bedia, Aibanbha Dohling, Anwar Ali, Sandesh Jhingan, Raynier Fernandes, Rowllin Borges, Boris Singh", "livescore_text": null, "livescore_link": null, "btn_text": null, "resend_feed": "1", "google_feed": "1", "read_more": "0", "posted_by": "23", "jio_date": "2023-09-14 10:32:47", "scheduled": "0", "news_now": "0", "breaking_news": "0", "google_date": null, "featured": "0", "sports_name": "football", "cnmid": "792511", "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/sports-news\/confident-that-the-isl-season-will-be-a-good-one-for-fc-goa-manolo-marquez-8449" }