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Every transfer window in the Indian Super League (ISL) is witness to some chaotic personnel switcheroo between clubs. Players who are absolute darlings of fans have often moved to opposition clubs in the blink of an eye.
Yet in an ever-changing league, if one person has gone on to define consistency, passion, and loyalty, that is Edu Bedia. The Spanish midfielder is entering his sixth year at FC Goa and continues his ever-lasting fairytale with the club after recently signing a contract extension.
In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, the Santander-born midfielder underlined that for him, the Gaurs just aren't like any other club in his elaborate professional career. The Spanish maestro averred:
"FC Goa is more than just another club in my career. I have something special with this club."
Edu has seen overarching highs and unfathomable lows with FC Goa but has chosen to stick by the club through it all.
After winning the ISL League Winners Shield in the 2019-20 season, the Gaurs sealed a berth in the AFC Champions League. Under then-head coach Juan Ferrando, in a game against Persepolis FC, Goa scripted history when they became the first Indian club to score in the competition. The scorer? Edu.
However, since then, despite playing some of the most eye-catching football, FCG has failed to reach the previous heights they had in the ISL. Further, after the departure of Ferrando midway through last season, the club crumbled and ended up finishing ninth with just four wins.
Edu, though, believes it's time to forget the past and focus on the upcoming season. With a revamped squad and a new head coach in Carlos Pena, FC Goa are raring to start their ISL campaign. But the former Zaragoza midfielder stressed that it's important that the players don't get too ahead of themselves and instead try to improve "step by step."
Here are excerpts from Sportskeeda's exclusive interaction with FC Goa's midfield maestro Edu Bedia:
Question: How was the break after a pretty long and arduous season?
Edu Bedia: The break after last season was very long, more than six months. This is very difficult for football players. You can do gym and physical training but it’s not the same. It’s good for us that we now have a long pre-season, more than two months, to prepare for the ISL. It feels good to be back.
Q. Many players have moved during the summer window to opposition clubs in the ISL. Meanwhile, you’ll be starting your sixth season at FC Goa. If you could talk about your bond with the club and what has made you stick with the club through everything?
Edu: At the moment, FC Goa is not just another club in my career. It’s my sixth year here and I have seen a lot of things change, not just at the club but even in ISL from my first year in India.
Q. I wanted to take you back to last season. Obviously, it was a chaotic and underwhelming season for FC Goa. Looking back at that time span, how difficult was it to deal with?
Edu: Yes, the last two seasons have been difficult for us. Not just for FC Goa but all the other teams too because living inside the bubble was a crazy thing. Now we want to forget last season and improve. I think we have to put the past behind us and focus on the pre-season and then the ISL.
Q. You have a lot of experience under your belt and have played under a lot of coaches. But considering the circumstances in which Derrick Pereira took over the reins at the club, what did you think of the job he did?
Edu: Derrick did an excellent job. Because the team in that moment needed calmness and he gave us that. I repeat, with us living in the bubble, it was very difficult for the players.
Q. When the team goes through a difficult stretch of games, how do you as one of the senior players influence or motivate them?
Edu: It was not just difficult for the young players, but also the seniors, the coaches, the staff and everyone else. Of course everyone can do things better but now we try to forget the past.
Q. Coming to the new season, the conversations around the Gaurs have always been on the return of Carlos Pena. Although it’s still early days, what has it been like to have your former teammate back and obviously in a new role?
Edu: Yes, he was my teammate not just in Goa but even back in Spain. But now he’s my boss. I'm a player and he’s the coach. Both of us know what the relationship is now. We are professionals and there isn’t a problem.
Q. The relationship that you shared with him earlier, has that changed or will that change now given he’s the boss?
Edu: No, the relationship hasn’t changed. The only change is before he was my teammate and now he is my boss.
Q. Apart from you, FC Goa have completely refreshed its foreign contingent. What do you think about your new teammates and the quality they will bring?
Edu: We have three new Spanish players and I know them very well because I played against them in Spain. They are all very good players, competitive and professional.
Q. Is it difficult to acclimatize to a new set of players every season or is it something that footballers are well equipped to do?
Edu: It’s difficult but different. But it’s normal in football. If you change the club, the playing style or the coach, you have to be smart. Now we have a long pre-season to work on that.
Q. Fans are used to seeing a particular style of football from FC Goa. Under Carlos Pena, do you think that will change?
Edu: The style will be similar. We want to have a personality with the ball. Maybe with Carlos, we’re more aggressive in both attack and defense. In my opinion, we need this too. But I don’t think the style of play will change.
Q. This season, with the Durand Cup, the league, and then the Super Cup, it is expected to be longer. Are you excited about the extended format and do you think this is the way forward?
Edu: Yes, it’s possible that it will help the players because now the break in the summer will be smaller. So now we’re focusing on pre-season, then the ISL and after the league finishes we’ll focus on the Super Cup. It’s step by step.
Q. You recently extended your contract with FC Goa, the first player from an Indian club to score in the AFC Champions League, and you’ve seen the ISL grow during your time. Your relationship with Indian football just keeps growing. But how far do you think Indian football has come since the time you started?
Edu: It’s crazy! My first year was totally different than it is now. Indian football has grown a lot and this is good for the league, the country and for everyone.
Q. FC Goa has always been a breeding ground for young talents. Are there any players coming up the ranks who have caught your eye?
Edu: Yes! I think FC Goa has one of the best academies in the country and we have great young players in the first team and in the development team. There's a lot of good players.
Q. You’ve performed at an exceptional level since your very first day in the ISL. Obviously, you must have garnered interest from other clubs too during your time. Before you signed the contract extension with FC Goa this year, were you approached by any other clubs?
Edu: Yes, but my mind was always here. I wanted to play for FC Goa. I repeat, FC Goa is more than just another club in my career. I have something special with this club.
Q. You’ve been here at FC Goa for six seasons, but which has been the most memorable one?
Edu: Not an entire season, but one of the best moments for this team was playing in the AFC Champions League. I enjoyed playing those games in Goa a lot. The only thing was we were playing those games in empty stadiums due to the pandemic.
Q. After an almost two-year-long hiatus, FC Goa will return in front of the fans. What do you make of the news?
Edu: This is the best news for us. Two years of playing in empty stadiums was crazy. We have a very young team and many players have never played in front of fans. Now all the opposition teams and players will be playing against our fans too.
Of course, this will give FC Goa an added advantage. I think FC Goa and Kerala Blasters FC have the best fans and this is an advantage for us.
Q. In the recently concluded Durand Cup, FC Goa fielded a relatively young squad. What did you make of their performances?
Edu: The Durand Cup was a great experience for the development team. We have very young players, and some players have even played with them like Phrangki [Buam], [Muhammed] Nemil, Hrithik Tiwari and Ayush [Dev Chhetri]. These four players are very good and are the future of the club along with the others.
Q. Finally, obviously fans might have been disappointed by the showings last season, but what should they be expecting from FC Goa and you this season?
Edu: We have a lot to work on in pre-season. Then step by step and game by game we’ll have to improve. It’s not good for anyone to speak now about the trophy, the final or the semi-finals. The league is too long and we have to be smart.
