Glan Martins interview: 'Coach Juan Ferrando has given me the confidence I was lacking'

There’s a slight change in Glan Martins’ tone when he talks about Juan Ferrando.

You think about the midfielder’s game and it’s apparent he’s top-notch when it comes to work rate. Physically, he may not be imposing but he’s strong, a hard tackler. And he plays in the centre of the pitch with confidence in his stride, not bothered much by the occasion, be it the big games in Indian Super League (ISL) or AFC Champions League.

That confidence in him has a lot to do with head coach Ferrando and it’s also visible in a bunch of Indian players who play for FC Goa. The team which qualified for the ISL semi-finals despite being in the rebuilding phase. The team which was highly impressive in the Champions League, despite not winning once in six matches. The team which recently became the champions of Durand Cup.

“Our coach is a great human being. If you ask other players, they will tell you the same. He treats everyone equally. Whenever you make a mistake, he’ll come up to you and tell you about it,” Martins told Firstpost from Kolkata when he was with the team preparing for the Durand Cup.

“He doesn’t have favourites and offers help to each one of us. So that also motivates the players to give their hundred percent on the field. He has helped me a lot since I joined FC Goa. He has given me the confidence I was lacking.

“The day I arrived at the FC Goa hotel, the same day he came to me and told me that it doesn’t matter how many mistakes I make on the ground but make sure I give my 100 percent when I am out there. That helped me a lot, he supported me from day one,” Martins said.

Martins couldn’t play in the later stages for Durand Cup because he had to report for national team duty ahead of SAFF Championship. FC Goa made it to the final and beat Mohammedan Sporting to clinch the title.

The team has transitioned from an aggressive brand of football under Sergio Lobero to a more controlled approach after Ferrando took charge. It’s not like tactics were not in play before but Ferrando made them more disciplined and that’s why they could compete against superior teams in the Champions League earlier this year.

“It starts from the training sessions. How we train influences how we play. I always give my 100 percent in the training and that’s what helps to improve my work rate during the matches,” Martins said.

Martins moved to his home state club FC Goa from ATK in the second half of his debut ISL season (2020/21). It was at FC Goa that Martins got a run of games as the club qualified for the semi-finals. The 27-year-old then started in five out of the six matches in the group stage of AFC Champions League and made major contributions from the midfield as the team drew against quality sides like Al Rayyan and Al Wahda while putting up brave performances against one of the best teams in Asia – Persepolis FC.

“Positive mindset is important to me. You have to believe in yourself. Whenever you go out on the field, you have to believe that you’re the best. It doesn’t matter if we really are the best but I think we should believe in ourselves. In the Champions League, all of us believed that and supported each other, the players, coaches, staff and I think that’s the reason we did well.”

Growing up in Goa, Martins didn’t have to look far for inspiration. It’s no wonder why Martins and footballers of his generation idolise Climax Lawrence. Rowllin Borges, another midfielder from Goa who plays for Mumbai City FC and the national team, has also spoken about the influence of Lawrence during his childhood.

Lawrence played for Salgaocar and East Bengal before moving to Dempo in 2005 where he achieved fame and glory. The midfielder played a pivotal role in making Dempo a domestic powerhouse, helping them to win four National Football League/I-League titles in six years. He went on to captain India and was also named AIFF’s player of the year in 2005.

Martins’ form in the last one year has earned him a new three-year contract with FC Goa. Like Lawrence did with Dempo, Martins will be hoping that his partnership with FC Goa will also bring similar laurels and in the process, inspire more youngsters from the state.

Martins says that process has already started.

“There are youngsters who look up to me. When I go out, to a restaurant or anywhere else, there are people coming to me asking for a picture and stuff like that. It’s a great feeling and it really motivates me. Now people in Goa know me.”

But Martins is also aware that he’s not a finished product by any means. As a footballer, he’s still growing and he has identified the areas in his game where he has to make improvements.

“Since I started playing in the top league, a lot of things have changed. Not as a person but I am getting to learn a lot of new things (in football). Everyday I am learning a lot of things from my seniors and from everyone around me. And that is helping me to grow as a player. So, I think I am not the same person who knew football just by playing, but now I know how to respect my opponents and everything else,” he said.

“I think I need to improve in a lot of areas. I need to improve in my decision-making, I need to improve on my strength, I need to gain more muscle because in the midfield you need a lot of strength. And yes, I want to score more goals.”

What about pressure? Martins’ rise has been steep and expectations could be overwhelming. The Champions League showing and Durand Cup victory has set the tone for the upcoming season of ISL. While FC Goa won the League Winners’ Shield in the 2019-20 season, Ferrando and his team will strive hard to become ISL champions, a feat the club could not achieve yet.

“I don’t think there’s any pressure on me. Football is a team game. When you win, you win as a team and when you lose, you lose as a team. I don’t take any pressure; I just go out there and give my best. That’s it.”

Martins is currently with the national squad playing in the SAFF Championships in Maldives. He started the first game against Bangladesh where India took a lead in the first half but ended up conceding against a 10-man team. An unimpressive India drew the match 1-1 . Martins and his teammates will now aim for an improved show against Sri Lanka on 7 October.