"RoundGlass Punjab FC was my priority" - Luka Majcen opens up about exiting Gokulam Kerala FC, his hopes for I-League 2022-23 season, and more

It was the 50th minute of the game. An enchanting Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan was still recovering from a frantic first half. But defying the odds and silencing the home crowd, Luka Majcen stabbed home a Thahir Zaman cutback to give Gokulam Kerala FC the lead in their first AFC Cup 2022 tie.

Being an ISL outfit with a considerably higher budgetary allocation, ATK Mohun Bagan were the clear favorites. Gokulam had no right to win. The Mariners weren't meant to lose. But two goals from the Slovenian forward and a further two from Rishad PP and Jithin MS were enough to secure a 4-2 victory for the Malabarians.

The night was a statement. Not just from Gokulam Kerala, but also from Majcen. The 33-year-old forward wasn't ready to rest on his laurels [read the I-League triumph] and was hungry for more.

After his recent exploits in the I-League last season, scoring 13 goals and seven assists in just 13 outings, many would've hoped for Gokulam to go all out on retaining the services of Majcen. But in an exclusive interaction with Sportskeeda, the former Churchill Brothers striker revealed that he didn't have many conversations with the Kerala club about an extension.

When Majcen decided to start a new chapter in India, RoundGlass Punjab FC (RGPFC) was immediately his "priority".

What prompted his liking for the club? Their professionalism, Majcen answered during the interview. Professionalism is seemingly what the Slovenian adores the most. It specifically came up a lot during the interview. It wasn't a surprise.

Majcen has been a top-notch professional since making his way into the country. The goal machine has played across teams and leagues in India, yet his commitment on the pitch has never been disputed.

Meanwhile, the ongoing 2022-23 I-League season brings along rejuvenated hopes for many teams. The added incentive of securing a berth in the Indian Super League (ISL), the top-tier league in the country, has made the clubs go all out to make capable squads.

RoundGlass Punjab are no strangers to winning the league, and with Majcen leading their forward line, this might be a memorable charge from the Warriors to conquer the title and the golden ticket to ISL.

Here are excerpts from Sportskeeda's interview with RoundGlass Punjab FC striker Luka Majcen:

Question: Luka, you had an incredible season with Gokulam Kerala FC earlier this year, but what led you to make the switch to RoundGlass Punjab FC ahead of the upcoming season?

Luka Majcen: Yeah, we had an incredible season last year. We became I-League champions and almost the whole season was perfect. But despite all this, we felt the majority of the players would go to the ISL.

Foreigners would also go their own way. Also, after the season, we didn’t talk much about the extension. So I was just thinking about a new challenge and immediately had the club RoundGlass Punjab FC in mind.

Luckily for me, they contacted me and I’m very happy about this opportunity that I’ve been given this year.

Q: You’ve obviously played against RoundGlass Punjab FC previously, so what did you notice about the club that helped you make the decision?

Majcen: The last two seasons, we were staying in a bio-bubble, so I was very close to the RGPFC team every day. I liked what I saw. The way they acted professionally on and off the pitch, they were organized, they were just different. And I liked that. So when the opportunity came, I didn’t think much.

Q: Did you have offers from any other club before you joined RoundGlass Punjab?

Majcen: I told my representatives that RoundGlass Punjab was my priority. But yeah, a few other clubs had also contacted me. We decided on RGPFC because I felt like this would be the best destination for me and my future.

Q: What has it been like since joining RoundGlass? If you could talk about how the pre-season has gone and whether you are happy with how the team is shaping up?

Majcen: I am very happy with how the team is shaping up. We had a long pre-season, over two months. We have had a lot of time to bond on and off the pitch.

The club is very professional and they’re providing us with all the facilities, so we can just focus on football. It’s everything I expected and more.

Q: You were prolific last season, scoring 13 goals and providing seven assists. Do you think individually you were at your best? Or should the fans and the opponents be expecting a lot more from you this season?

Majcen: For the last few years, I have had some pretty good statistics. But here in India, for sure, last season was the best season so far. Although I don’t think it’s still not my peak.

Soon after the season, I didn’t want to sleep on the results so I went straight back to the lab and talked to my coaches about what to improve. I think and I hope fans here in Punjab will see an even upgraded version of me from last season.

Q: Does the aspect of getting promoted to the ISL give you added motivation?

Majcen: For sure. I think all the teams in the league have the ISL promotion ticket on their mind. We too have your goal to be at the top and get the ticket. The whole club is very motivated.

Q: You have already tasted how the I-League victory feels, so how do you keep yourself motivated to go out there and do it again?

Majcen: I get what you’re asking but last season was last season. Yes, we were champions but I want to be the champion every season. So this is not even something to think about. I think all of my teammates think the same.

Q: You’ve played in the I-League previously, so you’re well aware of the teams and their quality. So who do you think poses the greatest threat to RoundGlass Punjab’s title run?

Majcen: I saw in the last two seasons that the championship race was decided on the last day, which I think is great. You have to be ready and on your toes throughout the whole season.

I also saw that every team has had good domestic players and good foreigners. So I think any team can win on any given day.

So I wouldn’t say who will be in the top three or top five but all I can say is that it will be a very competitive league and whoever wants to be the champion will have to bring their A-game.

Q: For a brief moment, I wanted to take you back to the AFC Cup earlier this year and your performance against ATK Mohun Bagan. Two goals and an assist. What did you think of that night?

Majcen: That was a crazy night, a magical night for us. I think this was one of my best games, not just in India but in my whole career. There were a lot of people at the stadium, playing against a very good team, especially on the continental stage.

We had a plan and we stuck to it. Everything went according to plan. But this is all in the past, sometimes it is good to remember those moments but now I am fully focused on this season and RoundGlass Punjab.

Q: Do you think Gokulam could’ve done a lot better after the first game?

Majcen: To be short, of course. Maybe we were flying a little after the first win and could’ve done some things tactically differently. But it’s easy to say after the match is over.

For a lot of players, this was their first time playing against international opponents, who had very different playing styles too. It was also a long and hard season. The AFC Cup was in the last few days of our season and that also took its toll.

Q: How has it been working under head coach Staikos Vergetis? What have his inputs been like?

Majcen: So far, it’s been great. He has been very straightforward with the players with respect to communication. Personally, I enjoy it and I even see my other teammates enjoying themselves.

I know my role. I think I have a certain level of trust on his side and I’ll try to do my best for the team.

Q: This season you’ll be playing alongside Juan Mera, who is also an experienced campaigner. So how is your relationship growing with him?

Majcen: Actually, talking about Juan, we clicked on the pitch and even off it. He is a great guy and a great teammate. He is very professional and I like that. So it’s very easy to stay and play football with him!

Q: Finally, this is your third season now in India, so if you could talk about your stay in the country and the footballing level here?

Majcen: I enjoy India as a country a lot. It’s very beautiful and has given me a lot of love. I definitely feel at home here. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be coming back.

With the level of football in India, I didn’t know what to expect. But it’s definitely higher than what people outside the country think. I think it’s also improving year by year.

Every year, the federation is implementing more and more rules and guidelines on the roadmap to becoming a bigger and better footballing nation.

Q: A message to RoundGlass Punjab FC fans...

Majcen: Come to as many matches as you can. We will try to perform well and give you something to celebrate and enjoy in our style of play. We know we want to be champions and I think fans can help us with that. So I’m looking forward to seeing the fans at the stadium.