3 FC Goa youngsters who will benefit from Manolo Marquez's arrival | ISL 2023-24

FC Goa have roped in former Hyderabad FC head coach Manolo Marquez ahead of the upcoming season. The acquisition of the Spaniard represents a huge step forward in the Goan club's ambition to consistently challenge the front runners.

Marquez’s success in India is certainly well-documented. He joined Hyderabad FC in the summer of 2020 and quickly elevated the club's standards. Marquez eventually won the ISL in his second season and finished second in the league stages in the following campaign.

Aside from turning Hyderabad FC into serial winners, Manolo Marquez is known for his innate gift to develop young talents and improve experienced players. During his three-year spell, Marquez has fine-tined talents like Akash Mishra, Mohammad Yasir, and Chinglensana Singh to name a few.

This will bode well for the Gaurs, who are known to be a breeding ground for several youngsters. They are renowned for their commitment to youth development and have consistently churned out remarkable talents.

The 54-year-old manager also revealed that this was one of the reasons he signed for FC Goa. While the Gaurs will be looking to get their hands on new players, the club already possesses a few exciting youngsters.

On that note, let’s take a look at the three players who will benefit from Marquez’s arrival.

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#1 Brison Fernandes

Having honed his crafts in FC Goa’s esteemed academy, Brison Fernandes has developed into a promising player and is starting to showcase his potential. The 22-year-old only played two games last season, but featured 13 times this time around, scoring thrice.

Known for his technique and ball-carrying ability in central midfield, Brison flourished as an impact substitute for Pena. He seamlessly slotted into the big stage and will be looking to cement his place in the starting lineup under Manolo Marquez.

Marquez could play Fernandes behind the striker to get the best out of him. We have seen how the Spanish coach improved a player’s attacking ability and Brison will unquestionably be a player to watch out for in the future.

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#2 Aysuh Chhetri

Chhetri was another youngster who was given an ample amount of game time by Pena. The 19-year-old joined the Gaurs in 2022 after a brilliant season in the I-League outfit with Aizawl FC.

As FC Goa regularly played with a three-man midfield, Chhetri was tasked to play a deeper role in front of the center-backs. However, he also has the potential to play further forward and impact the game in the final third of the pitch.

Hitesh Sharma and Sahil Tavora are two examples of how the former HFC coach transformed defensive midfielders into box-to-box players capable of contributing on both ends of the pitch.

With Chhetri’s passing ability and technique, Marquez will be looking to extract more from the youngster and mold him into a complete midfielder.

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#3 Devendra Murgaonkar

Born in Goa, Devendra Murgaonkar is another player who blossomed in the Goan professional league before signing for the Gaurs in 2020. The 24-year-old usually plays on the flanks and is known for his electrifying pace and trickery on the ball.

After making 19 appearances during the 2021-22 season, his game time was limited under Pena. Nonetheless, the winger has shown his ability in glimpses since joining FC Goa.

Marquez has overseen the developments of Liston Colaco, Mohammad Yasir, and Halicharan Narzary at Hyderabad FC and will have a keen eye on Murgaonkar as well.

While the potential arrival of Udanta Singh and Boris Singh could limit his time on the pitch, Murgoankar will look to prove his worth in the pre-season.