Javier Siverio interview: Look up to Cleiton Silva as a mentor
The Spaniard sat down with indiansuperleague.com for an interview as he spoke about the start to life as an East Bengal FC player.
Javier Siverio has found his home in Indian football as he is into his third season in the Indian Super League (ISL).
Having won the ISL Cup with Hyderabad FC in 2021-22, the Spanish forward moved to East Bengal FC ahead of the 2023-24 campaign after a successful stint with the Yellow and Blacks.
Siverio hasn’t had the best of starts to his East Bengal FC career as he is yet to score a goal in the ISL in Red and Gold colours but his experience of the league is sure to help him settle into his new team and be a real force as the season progresses.
The Spaniard sat down with indiansuperleague.com for an interview as he spoke about the start to life as an East Bengal FC player.
Here are the excerpts:
How do you assess your start to your East Bengal FC career? How are you coping with the new environment at your club?
I think it has been a good start. We reached the Durand Cup final after a long time. Although we couldn’t win the trophy, we played well throughout the tournament. I am very happy to be here at East Bengal FC.
How different is it to play for Carles Cuadrat this season as compared to Manolo Marquez?
Every coach is different. I think they have the same winning mentality. We are talking about two champion coaches as both of them have won the ISL trophy in the past. I am enjoying playing under Coach Carles because he has shown a lot of confidence in me and I hope I can repay his faith.
What is your impression of Cleiton Silva in training? You must have faced him as an opponent, but did you learn something different about him in training?
I know Cleiton pretty well. Before joining East Bengal FC, I played against him multiple times. Everyone playing in the ISL knows what Cleiton is capable of. I look up to him as a mentor. In the training sessions, Cleiton always has the maximum sprints and effort. That is his mentality and that is why he’s one of the most successful attackers in ISL history.
In Mahesh and Nandha, East Bengal FC have two good young Indian attackers. What do you make of them?
We have two of the best Indian wingers in our team. We have to take advantage of that. They are working very hard. Mahesh has already scored two goals and Nandha has made two assists in this ISL. Needless to say, they are two vital members of our team.
What have your interactions with the East Bengal FC fans been like? What do you make of the support they show to the team?
The fan support has been amazing. I can’t thank our fans enough for the kind of love and support they show us everyday. There are always people on the streets who hug you and ask for selfies and autographs. It’s a beautiful feeling for me. Yes, it’s true that we have dropped some crucial points and have had some bad moments, but I can assure our fans that we are doing everything to make them happy and win more points. We need our fans because they are our biggest strength.