ISL preview: After two near misses, it's manager Zico again who holds the key to FC Goa's fortunes

Other states, yes, but why Goa? While the enviable fan following of Chennaiyin FC and Kerala Blasters can be attributed to the fact that their emergence has given football-starved fans of Tamil Nadu and Kerala something to cheer about, the fanaticism around FC Goa is a bit baffling.

Even though I-League teams like Dempo, Salgaocar and Sporting Clube de Goa have been playing in front of empty stands for the past couple of years, the ISL franchise has been able to catch the fancy of the local fans, and all their matches have been sold out so far, with queues for tickets often starting early in the morning.

This season is going to be no different, especially after the controversy that broke out following the fracas in the last ISL final. The team was slapped with a 15-point ban that was later revoked, while it also went through a change in ownership. Most of the Goan football legends were of the opinion that this punishment was a ploy to finish the football heritage of the state, and this has further united the fan-base of the side.

In Brazilians we trust

However, the talk around the club’s off-the-field struggles must not take the light away from their heroics on the green turf. The Gaurs are the only team to have finished in the top two of the group stage in both seasons and, arguably, have played the most eye-catching football. The Brazilian legend Zico has recently signed a new long-term deal as manager, and was given the green signal to recruit players at will.

The franchise continues to depend heavily on its Brazilian core, and has eight players from the powerhouse of football. However, the other two members of the foreign contingent will be the most important players of the unit. While Barcelona youth graduate Jofre Mateu has been one of the best playmakers in both the seasons, French defender Gregory Arnolin often made up for his defensive partner’s lack of pace in the last edition.

Among the Brazilians, World Cup winner defender Lucio will be the star, while forwards Raphael Coelho and Reinaldo have come back for another season. I-League veteran Luciano Sobrosa is part of the roster, while the club will hope former Brazil international Richarlyson Barbosa can fill the void left by Leo Moura.

As for the pool of domestic players, the club snapped up the experienced Raju Gaikwad, Robin Singh and Subhasish Roy Chowdhury, while also signing local players Pratesh Shirodkar, Denzil Franco, Sahil Tavora and Fulganco Cardozo. They have also retained Debabrata Roy, Keenan Almeida, Mandar Rao Dessai, Romeo Fernandes and Laxmikant Kattimani who had all played a big role in the club’s success in the first two seasons.

It's up to Zico

Zico had stuck to his 3-5-2 formation at the dead end of the last season, even though it meant that central midfielder Pronay Halder was deployed as a makeshift centre-back. The former coach of the Japan national team is expected to adhere to the same system again, but it remains to be seen whether the ageing pair of Lucio and Arnolin can handle the opponent strikers. The team has suffered a mini jolt a week before the start, with Roy Chowdhury, Gregory, Raju, Luciano and Denzil all nursing injuries.

Robin Singh has been out of action for more than nine months. Has he regained match fitness? The likes of Romeo, Mandar and Roy were playing in the second division earlier this year, while Jofre was unemployed after the ISL season had ended in December. In the absence of a handful of top players in the early stages of the competition, they will have to up their game. The club hasn’t signed a foreign goalkeeper yet, and that move can come back to bite the outfit while it may also offer them more flexibility in the outfield.

The biggest pillar of strength for the team will, of course, be their manager, who has experience of playing and coaching at the highest levels. Zico enjoys the trust of the new owners as well, and will be eager to make amends for last season, when Goa had come agonizingly close to winning the title before being denied by a stellar show from Stiven Mendoza.

But in the absence of Leo Moura, the club doesn’t have many match winners, especially among the Indian members. A number of foreigners are in their mid-thirties, and the coach will have to shuffle his cards to help them remain fit during a tight schedule. The team will have the advantage of playing four of the last five ties in front of their home support, which can turn out to be decisive.

Even so, Football Club Goa are one of the favourites going into the tournament. But the team will be heavily dependent on the Arnolin-Jofre-Reinaldo trio to bring home the silverware.