I-League 2: Sporting Clube de Goa begin arduous climb to top tier

Panaji: Two weeks into pre-season when Sporting Clube de Goa coach Fernando Santiago Varela tested his side against FC Goa, the 2-0 loss did not raise any eyebrow. Up against a strong opponent, the result was expected, but what transpired after the game left the Spanish tactician in no doubt that the road ahead will be smoother.
“Manolo (Marquez, coach of FC Goa) told me after the game that we did very well for a team that trained for just two weeks,” said Varela. “That was encouraging.”
A few weeks later, Sporting drew against Dempo SC, and then secured a 2-0 win against India U-17 in another friendly.
The performances provided proof that Sporting are on the right track. But such contests count for nothing; what matters is the result at the end of their I-League 2 opener against United Sports Club at the Atal Stadium, Bambolim, on Saturday.
Anyone who’s been around Indian football for a while will know that Sporting belonged to the top tier of Indian football, enjoyed a memorable stint, until the club decided to withdraw from the I-League due to a roadmap that provided no avenues for teams at the bottom to move to the Indian Super League (ISL). Now, with promotion and relegation part of the Constitution, the goals are clear.
The appointment of a foreign coach and signing of experienced players signals intent.
“I-League Two is a tricky competition where results depend on the smallest of details. It’s a tough competition with every team wanting to move to the top. There’s no team which is there to make up numbers. All have big ambitions,” said Varela.
No stranger to Indian football with previous stints at Churchill Brothers, Gokulam Kerala, Sreenidi Deccan, Varela knows what it takes to succeed. During his time with FC Bengaluru United (FCBU) in I-League Two, his side led the race at the midway stage, and then, quite unexpectedly, collapsed. It was only a month later that he truly realised why his side could not achieve the goal.
It’s unlikely Varela will allow a similar turn of events at Sporting.
“The club has a lot of history and that’s what brought me here. The organisation is good too and I have good communication with (CEO) Allan (D’Cruz). There is a desire to do something good,” said Varela.
Even if he is determined, Varela cannot succeed alone. He needs the players. Clubs are not allowed to field foreigners in I-League 2, so Sporting have done the next best thing: bring experience on board.
Since Varela joined the team, the club has signed 14 players, at least ten of them with experience of playing in the top tier. There are two former internationals in Lenny Rodrigues and Narayan Das; two junior internationals -- Mohanraj K, Lalchhanhima Sailo -- besides a host of recognisable faces like Sanson Fernandes (played for FC Goa in AFC Champions League), Joyner Lourenco, Leander D’Cunha, Sweden Fernandes, Avilash Paul, and Robin Hansda, who grabbed national attention after finishing as the top scorer at the Santosh Trophy.
There’s also Joshua Rae, who caught Varela’s eye after two impressive performances in the Goa Professional League (GPL).
“We’ve brought in players with a wealth of experience in Indian football, along with young players who show great potential. We want to be a dynamic team. I always try to be honest with the players, owners, management and staff. I prefer to do something deep, worthwhile, long-term at each club,” said Varela.
At least for this season, the goal is short term for Sporting and Varela. Finish among the top two and qualify for the I-League. The road to the top tier ISL would then be a lot shorter.