Goa FC is only one of two teams in the ISL — the other being NorthEast United FC — to avoid the domestic player draft, as it had filled its squad with players from Dempo Sports Club.
The side has wisely joined hands with Dempo SC — a team which has served Goan and Indian football with distinction for 48 years — to give itself the best chance to utilise the abundant talent in the state.
Needless to say, this was a more efficient option than to start from scratch.
The franchise has wisely got Dempo SC coach Arthur Papas on board as well, in a bid to once again bring together all the elements which have made the I-League club a success.
While most of the ISL sides will set aside a few weeks for the players and coaching staff to familiarise themselves with the new settings, Goa FC can be expected to fire on all cylinders from the very start.
Add to this the presence of renowned French midfielder Robert Pires and Brazil legend Zico, and the package looks complete. This team has got its combination just right — a proven set of Indian players plus the inspired touch of a few foreign giants.
The squad:
Goalkeepers: Jan Seda, Laxmikant Kattimani, Gurpreet Chabal
Defenders: Debabrata Roy, Narayan Das, Prabir Das, Rowilson Rodrigues, Andre Santos, Youness Bengelloun, Gregory Arnolin, Bruno Pinheiro, Zohib Islam Amiri
Midfielders: Gabriel Fernandes, Clifford Miranda, Bikramjit Singh, Jewel Raja, Alwyn George, Mandar Rao Desai, Romeo Fernandes, Peter Carvalho, Robert Pires, Edgar Marcelino
Forwards: Holicharan Narzary, Miroslav Slepicka, Miguel Herlein, Ranti Martins, Tolgay Ozbey
Head coach: Zico
Assistant coach: Arthur Papas.
Owners: Venugopal Dhoot, Virat Kohli, Dattaraj Salgaocar and Shrinivas Dempo.
Marquee player: Robert Pires
Watch out for:
Robert Pires: He is best remembered for being part of the 'Invincibles', the Arsenal side which peaked during an unbeaten 2003-2004 English Premier League season. Pires, who was also part of France's victorious 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 campaigns, dazzled with his silken touch, pinpoint through-passes, curling free-kicks and incisive runs down the left flank. He possesses an eye for goal as well, and Indian fans will be thrilled to see one of his trademark right-footed shots from outside the box, seconds after cutting through to the centre from the flank.
Alwyn George: The 22-year-old Indian, a two-time winner of the Football Players Association of India's ‘Young Player of the Year’ award, is talked about as one of the country's top prospects. The midfielder has shown his class during his time with Pailan Arrows and Dempo (his current club), and another good show here will only add to his growing reputation.