Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2020-21 will mark the dawn of a new era in the history books for FC Goa with the arrival of their new Spanish head coach Juan Ferrando. One of the most entertaining teams to watch in the Hero ISL ever since the league’s inception, the Gaurs have qualified for the play-offs in five of the last six seasons.

After topping the league table in the recently concluded 2019-20 season, Goa etched their name into Indian football folklore when they won the inaugural League Winners Shield to become the first Indian club to get direct entry into the AFC Champions League group stage. Known for their unbridled passion for football, the newly appointed head coach hailed the Goan faithful’s enthusiasm for the beautiful game during a conversation with the official FC Goa website.

“Football is about passion, if passion doesn’t exist, neither does football. I saw a few games of Goa on the TV and I would have to say it was perfect. The passion and atmosphere were evident. Of course, I would love for the supporters to come and enjoy the game, but I love that typical stadium feel – a lot of noise, a lot of supporters. This is the basics of football. I saw the games in Goa, and I have to say I love the stadium,” Ferrando gushed.

Following in the footsteps of legends like Zico and Sergio Lobera will not be an easy task but the Spanish head coach insisted that FC Goa fans can expect to continue seeing the free-flowing and entertaining brand of football that they are used to.

“(They) love to attack. I love to attack. I know it is very important for the club and it is the most important thing for me as well. In my opinion, all the players on the field, irrespective of what their position is, they want to attack. At the end of the day, the players need to enjoy the game and the same goes for the supporters. They need to enjoy the game. This is going to be our mentality going forward,” Ferrando proclaimed.

The 39-year-old head coach also urged FC Goa’s fans to throng the stadium in large numbers, insisting that they can always expect maximum effort from his players at the very least. “My message would be for the fans to come to the stadium, enjoy the game. We will give 100% so that we can always be proud of our team. In my mind, the most important thing is that the supporters come to the stadium and enjoy themselves – whether it is the league, the cup or the Champions League. The people should come to the stadium to enjoy. That is the job that we have on our hands,” he said.