ISL 2022-23: Playing for FC Goa had been one of my biggest dreams – Glan Martins

FC Goa midfielder Glan Martins has revealed that playing for the Gaurs was one of his biggest dreams. Martins joined the club back in January 2021 and signed a new three-year contract with the team in July 2021. The midfielder will stay at the club till the end of the 2024 season.

Martins started his football journey with Sporting Clube de Goa and Churchill Brothers. Subsequently, the 26-year old was signed by ATK Mohun Bagan for Hero Indian Super League 2020-21 season.

However, as he didn’t receive a lot of opportunities with the Mariners, Martins made a move to FC Goa during the January transfer window. Martins was able to grab his opportunity with both hands with the Gaurs and played a key role in taking the club to the semi-final stages. Subsequently, he also played in the AFC Champions League as FC Goa finished at third place in the Group stage.

“For a long time, playing for FC Goa had been one of my biggest dreams. When it finally became a reality in January 2021, I knew I had to make my opportunities count. It will be two years this coming January that I joined the club. And yet I am to play a single game in front of my own people, the mad crowd in Goa,” Martins wrote in a column for The Goan Everyday.

“It’s set to change finally this season and I can’t wait to get on to the field at Fatorda and finally live the dream. Words cannot simply express how we have all missed our 12th man over the last two seasons. I remember cheering for FC Goa at Fatorda, and I cannot wait to experience how it feels to be on its receiving end,” added Martins.

So far Martins has made 26 appearances for the club. Meanwhile, FC Goa had a disappointing run in Hero ISL 2021-22 season as they managed only four wins in 20 matches to finish at ninth place in the standings, and thus they could not qualify for the semifinals.

Martins added that the team has the hunger to deliver the goods in the upcoming season.

“‘A season to forget for FC Goa’ – I’ve lost count of the number of times I read this line on newspapers, websites, social media over the last few months. But the truth is far from it. In fact, we do not want to forget our Hero ISL 2021-22 campaign. Instead, we want to remember it throughout our pre-season and throughout our upcoming campaign – because we do not want that to happen again at any cost,” he said.

“There is a lot of hunger in us now. The hunger to prove ourselves, and to get back to where we belong – at the top of the charts. This has kept us determined throughout our ongoing pre-season camp. Be it even the simplest of training drills, a small-sided game, fitness exercises, or maintaining dietary patterns – there is a real intensity to it all,” added the midfielder.

FC Goa will kick off their ISL 2022-23 campaign against East Bengal at the Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata on the 12th of October.