Indian Football: From rookie winger to top-class full-back, tracing the journey of Seriton Fernandes

The occasion was big and so was the task in hand for FC Goa right-back Seriton Fernandes on that March evening in Mumbai. It was the 2018-’19 Indian Super League final and the defender was tasked with the responsibility of keeping the country’s best footballer, Sunil Chhetri, quiet.

The end result – a 1-0 defeat in extra time – was a bitter pill to swallow for FC Goa, who lost their second ISL final. But for Fernandes, it was a job well done on an individual level. From making threatening runs forward to nullifying the threat of the Bengaluru FC skipper, he put in a solid shift at right-back.

With the match heading into extra-time, energy levels dropped for both sets of players. But not for Fernandes, who was proving to be a handful for Chhetri down that wing on multiple occasions.

“He [Chhetri] told me not to keep running like that,” Fernandes told Scroll.in.

“I had dribbled past him, cut him again and had crossed a ball from a counter-attack. Then he started ranting at me, ‘Itna fast mat bhago [Don’t run so fast]’,” he added.

If there’s one defender whose inclusion in the national setup Indian football fans have been constantly demanding, it is Fernandes. Since being drafted in the ISL two seasons ago, the Goan native has been knocking hard on the doors of the Indian team.

It is no surprise that his performances in the ongoing season have also drawn the attention of India coach Igor Stimac.

“Seriton is [up] there, one of the positions people ask me about [at right-back]. The club [FC Goa] is doing better, he is playing good. He is tackling, he is strong and coming forward. There are some others also but my answer is Seriton. That’s what I want to see, competition,” Stimac had said in an interview on Facebook earlier this month.

From winger to full-back

Making the right-back spot his own since manager Sergio Lobera took charge, Fernandes has flown under the radar in a star-studded FC Goa rearguard. Despite all the consistency and potential he has shown in that role, it was not his natural position.

Fernandes played as a right-winger all his life and the switch to a full-back happened by accident when Derrick Pereira took charge at Churchill Brothers midway during the 2016-’17 I-League season.

“When I started playing as a right-winger [for Churchill], I hadn’t been performing that well,” the 27-year-old said.

“At that time, there was no left-back [at Churchill]. Coach Derrick made me play in that position for a practice match. He told me not to get anxious and even if I committed mistakes, it was not a problem. He built up that confidence in me. He made me play against Mohun Bagan, I did well and we won. We defeated East Bengal in the next game. We had a winning streak of three-four games and finished in top four,” he mentioned.

For Pereira, it wasn’t a tough decision to make, given he had closely been monitoring Fernandes’ performances in the Goa Pro League.

At Churchill, the left-back position was a spot that needed reinforcement and given Fernandes’ versatility to perform various roles, Pereira consulted the coaching staff and decided that he was the best alternative.

“I joined Churchill just a day before the match. We went with the same line-up and Seriton was on the bench. I saw that our left-back was not functioning. So when I spoke to Seriton, he sounded very confident and I pushed him,” Pereira told Scroll.in.

“From there on, he came out good thanks because of his hard work. Although he was a right-footed player, he played well as a left-back for the remainder of the season,” he added.

Pereira, who later joined FC Goa as a technical director also got his pupil on board ahead of the 2016-’17 ISL season.

Starring with FC Goa

Fernandes was never too apprehensive about the switch to defence.

“I wasn’t that nervous. The only thing I had to adapt to was defending as I was attacking anyway. I have been doing that since I was a right-winger and it comes naturally to me. Even I do that now. It is the easiest,” the full-back said.

Possessing great positional awareness, the ability to read the game well and being calm on the ball, Fernandes has emerged as one of the key homegrown players to evolve under Lobera at FC Goa, whom he credits for his stellar consistency.

“Coach Sergio Lobera has placed a lot of trust in me. Even when I made mistakes, he never blamed me. He just tells me to enjoy the game. To play it for the joy it brings not just for the sake of it. Even the team is very good. [Carlos] Pena and Mourtada [Fall] have been guiding me as well. They have played at the top level and have enough experience, so even my game kept evolving. It still has to grow,” he said.

His rise has been so meteoric that since the 2016-‘17 season, no other Indian defender has committed more tackles in the ISL than Fernandes. It is an art he has mastered in a short amount of time with intense practice.

“I loved tackling since my early days. I keep watching my videos on Youtube and try to execute them during training. The way Sergio Ramos tackles, I try emulating him,” the defender revealed.

Focusing on the present

Along with three clean sheets, Fernandes also has an assist to his name this ISL season. While a national team call-up may have eluded Fernandes till now, he just wants to keep his head on his shoulders.

“I don’t want to compare myself to any other right-back. I’ve been playing consistently for two years now and have started all the matches. I just want to help my club,” he said.

Ask what part of his game he needs brushing up, Fernandes answers in a jiffy. “Attack,” he responded with a smile.

It is an aspect that could make him lethal as a full-back, according to mentor Pereira.

“What has stood out for me is his determination. He has the right attitude to do well for himself and the club. That attitude is important. If you get it right, any player can keep improving. Right now his focus is more on defense than on attack and if he does his part that he used to do as a winger, he’ll be a complete full-back,” Pereira said.

With both Rahul Bheke and Pritam Kotal’s performances leaving a lot to be desired, the uncertainty surrounding the right-back spot has grown into a concern for Stimac. Pereira believes Fernandes deserves his chance, sooner than later.

“If Seriton gets an opportunity, Igor will like him. He has all the attributes a full-back should possess and a national team call-up is a huge motivation for any player. With due respect to all our other right-backs, Seriton could be one of the best if not the best right-back India has currently,” the veteran coach added.

With sights set on a call up for India, Fernandes is doing his bit. That time may not be far when Chhetri would be made to run up and down the wings in the national camp too.