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After having played over a decade of football in Spain, 30-year-old defender Ivan Gonzalez has signed with Indian Super League club FC Goa ahead of the 2020-21 season. The Spaniard has been roped in by Juan Ferrando following the departure of Mourtada Fall.
The 30-year old Spaniard, who will be playing football outside of Spain for the first time in his career, said that he was looking forward to making the trip to India to begin the pre-season as soon as possible.
"Finally, we are here. It has been a long wait,” remarked Ivan Gonzalez whilst in quarantine. “We are happy to be in India and start the preseason.
“The preseason will be crucial this season. I am looking forward to spending time with my teammates, coaches, and staff. There is already a positive vibe that I get all around the club. I am looking forward to putting the grind in. We have to quickly grasp the details and get familiar with the coach’s style," added Ivan Gonzalez.
The Spaniard also went on to state that it was important to be prepared psychologically as the season begins.
“One of the most important things this season will be the psychological side of things. Psychological preparation is a must for the long haul. A lot of players will be away from their homes and families. We have to be mentally strong. Our focus will have to be only on one thing - to get better every day,” remarked Gonzalez.
Focused, ready, and enjoy the hard work: Ivan Gonzalez
Ivan Gonzalez feels that the 2-3 hours that the side trains every day is very important and it will be key to being ready and focussed for the upcoming ISL season.
“The difference this season might all come down to focus on the job ahead. I am not one for excuses and I won’t accept my team giving me excuses as well. We will all look to work hard and improve every day," said Gonzalez.
“We only have 2-3 hours every day to train and it will be the best time of the day, for that reason. These two to three hours of training - we have to be focused, ready, and enjoy working hard," added Gonzalez.
Apart from Juan Ferrando, Gonzalez is one of four Spaniards in the squad. In the context of the season, the 30-year-old will be expected to partner with Australian James Donachie in central defence. Gonzalez can also play as a right-back.
