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Fans’ Corner: FC Goa is my family, says Anthony Fernandes
posted in Specials by FC Goa Official on 17th February 2022
posted in Specials
by FC Goa Official
on 17th February 2022
Fans’ Corner: FC Goa is my family, says Anthony Fernandes
Goa, 17 February, 2022: It is safe to say that for Anthony Fernandes, football is in his blood. A former footballer who captained Maharashtra in the junior nationals in the ‘90s, Fernandes is now at the heart of all things FC Goa, while running his shack at the Candolim Beach at the same time.
“FC Goa is my family. That is, in a nutshell, what I have to say about the club right now,” Fernandes opened up in a recent chat with us. There is not one home game that he and his family have missed watching from the stands, and they have also travelled for the Gaurs’ away games all across the country.
The above is also the biggest reason why he is not happy of late. With the Indian Super League (ISL) being held in bio-bubbles for two straight seasons now, Fernandes misses the frequent visits to watch his team play.
“It has been depressing, to say the least. We can’t wait for the next season to begin, when fans will hopefully be welcomed to the stadiums once again.
“Football deserves fans. The game is nothing without those that love and support it. Speak to any footballer in the ISL bio-bubble and I’m sure they’ll also agree,” he went on.
FC Goa fan since the beginning
Anthony Fernandes is not new to the football culture in Goa. Even before the advent of the ISL, the state loved the sport as much as they do even today.
According to Fernandes, the Indian Super League helped in making football more popular in Goa. “There are no two ways about it. Football is the state sport of Goa and football was always a part of our culture. But prior to the launch of ISL, we had seen a decline in the sport’s impact on our lives. ISL restored it and here we are now,” he said.
“I remember how things were when the league first kicked off. I’ve been an FC Goa fan since Day 1. In the first season the club did not enjoy as much love as it deserved – but it changed by leaps and bounds the following year.”
Suddenly, Fernandes found himself organising trips from his shack to watch the team play. Eventually, it became a routine affair.
He would rent a bus, book tickets in advance and then invite tourists to watch a game on one simple condition – to board the bus, one has to wear an FC Goa shirt. The hundreds of football jerseys from different countries, now displayed at the shack, prove that the tourists loved the experience.
“They enjoyed it and many of them even returned in the following years. When they go home, they send us shirts of various teams in their country – something for us to remember them by,” the former footballer said.
These days, people in and around Candolim know him not by his name, but his more popular nickname – ‘FC Goa’! A visit to his place and a chat with him helped us realise that it’s not surprising.
“My life revolves around the club. When they play a game, I am at the venue. During the off-season, when they sign a new player or coach, people ask me the reason although I wouldn’t know about it. Sometimes when I’m out running errands, people even stop me on the roads to clear their doubts – all this time, they don’t call me my name, they call me ‘FC Goa’,” Anthony Fernandes said, with a tinge of pride in his voice.
No worries about ongoing season
The Gaurs have been only a shadow of their past selves this season. Currently in ninth place with 18 points from 16 games, playoffs hopes are slowly becoming unrealistic for the Men in Orange.
“I don’t think it’s a big deal. This happens to the best of us. We’ve done well all these years and will continue to do so in the future – meanwhile, this is just a minor blip,” a hopeful Anthony Fernandes opined.
“Which other team can boast of similar success in the league?” he asked. “We’ve reached the playoffs six times, have scored the most goals, won the League Winners’ Shield once, won the Super Cup once – this team has only begun.”
Fernandes also shared his thoughts on the team. “I’m happy with the appointment of Derrick Pereira as the head coach. It proves that Indians are also steadily rising up to match foreign coaches’ standards. It’s a good thing for Indian football, and he should be given more time at the club.
“The players are equally good. I’ve always been a fan of Seriton Fernandes and Edu Bedia. It feels great to see them continue at the club and work hard to power the team to greater heights,” he signed off.
Fans like Anthony Fernandes are always among FC Goa’s biggest blessings. We cannot wait to see them back on the stands, so that we can show them as to who we are playing for.
