Full name: Football Club Goa
Nickname(s): The Gaurs (Reddes)
Short name: FCG
Founded: 26 August 2014
Ground: Fatorda Stadium, Goa
Capacity: 19,500
Owner: Goan Football Club Pvt. Ltd.
Manager: Sergio Lobera
The story so far…
FC Goa. Zico. Robert Pires. Lucio. How on earth has the club failed to win ISL yet? FC Goa won the second ever league stage under the world famous Brazilian but fell to Chennaiyin in the final.
The first three seasons of FC Goa’s existence were led by Head Coach Zico. Former Arsenal players Robert Pires, himself a former World Cup winner and Andre Santos were drafted in to kick-start the football dream in the city. Indian fans were also introduced to the mercurial talent of Romeo Fernandes who at the end of the season was loaned to Brazil, becoming the first Indian to play football in the famous footballing nation.
In FC Goa’s first season they finished 2nd during the regular season before falling in the semi-finals to eventual ISL 1 winners ATK.
In 2015, FC Goa thrilled the league with some stunning attacking football played in the true Brazilian way. However, they were unable to claim the title purists felt they deserved, losing 3-2 to Chennaiyin in the final.
The defeat seemed to damage the franchise mentally as they finished the 2016 in last place, with Zico leaving at the end of the season.
He has now been replaced by Sergio Lobera Rodriguez for the 2017 season.
The colours…
FC Goa wear an all blue kit with a red trim.
This is their kit for the new season.
The #BlueTigers take on Myanmar in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifying game and we wish the team and our #Gaurs all the very best! 👍 #BackTheBlue #INDvMYA pic.twitter.com/CQOxREZ9y8
— FC Goa (@FCGoaOfficial) November 14, 2017
The fans…
The Goa fans are known to be loyal and vocal in their support. They often turn up in large numbers for home matches turning the stadium into what is called a “sea of blue and orange”. There is plenty of noise with banners, chants such as “Forca Goa”, “F-C-Goa”, drums, ghumots, brass band, vuvuzelas, Mexican waves and plenty more in each match. Fans in the state spend the night outside the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda in the hope of grabbing a couple of tickets for FC Goa’s home matches, and many local streets are painted blue!
Chances this season…
Watch out for Manuel Lanzarote. Schooled at Barcelona’s La Masia, the attacker scored plenty of goals last season in Spain’s second flight – which you would expect should equal ISL goals. If he doesn’t score, Ferran Corominas probably will. The ex-Sevilla striker is a proven goal-getter.
They may well be strong in attack, but FC Goa may not be the strongest side defensively in the ISL this season. Bruno Pinheiro could end up playing in midfield or defence, but whichever role he plays will leave a gap in the other. Their defence is inexperienced at the top level and could be exposed by the more experienced and foreign lead attacks in the ISL.
However, a repeat of last season’s disaster is unlikely but I wouldn’t go as far as tipping FC Goa as making the playoffs.
