ISL 2021-22: Not thinking about numbers but eager to fulfil responsibility, says FC Goa's new striker Airam Cabrera

FC Goa’s new signing Airam Cabrera is not feeling the pressure despite the reputation of the club’s previous strikers. Ferran Corominas and Igor Angulo made quite an impact in goal-scoring, both winning Golden Boot Awards in previous seasons. But Cabrera feels there’s an added responsibility in his role and he’s ready to fulfill it. “You cannot take the extra pressure but you need to have the responsibility. I know the numbers but I don’t want people to compare. I don’t want them to say I am the new Angulo or new Coro. I have big respect for them but I am not thinking about the numbers. I am here to help the team and help the coach get what he wants from me,” Cabrera said during a media interaction on Wednesday. The 33-year-old, who played at various levels in Spain and also in the leagues of Poland and Cyprus, has signed a one-year deal with the club. Cabrera is not new to the challenge of adapting to a new league in a foreign country. He says the key to adapt quickly is not only via your football skills but how quickly you integrate into the new team environment. “I always say that when you leave your country (to play in a different league), the most important thing is to adapt. Adapting to your teammates, to the country, to the culture. This is my target. I want to arrive in India and meet my teammates as soon as possible. For me, the most important aspect is what you’re able to do out of the pitch,” Cabrera said. FC Goa have already started training for the upcoming ISL season. The foreign players are yet to reach India but head coach Juan Ferrando has been overlooking the sessions with the Indian players. Ferrando had tried to sign Cabrera in the past and the club management has been keeping a track of the striker for the past three years. The numbers might have gone down for Cabrera in the last couple of seasons but Goa’s director of football Ravi Puskur insisted that he was the right fit for the team.

I’m really excited to join @FCGoaOfficial . Looking forward and hoping to enjoy a lot this season together!! Let’s do it Gaurs!!! pic.twitter.com/VVewRJjSzH

— Airam Cabrera (@AiramCabrera9) August 13, 2021

“When I spoke to Airam, I was convinced about what he could offer to us not just on the pitch but off the field as well. He’s a player who identified himself as somebody who’s extremely hungry to prove himself in Indian football and we felt that he was the right fit for us,” Puskur said. Regarding his conversation with coach Ferrando, Cabrera revealed that they didn’t speak much on football. “We spoke about the bubble. Because this is a difficult situation and I am going to play in a bubble for the first time. So, he tried to prepare me. We spoke a little bit about football but the main point was to prepare me for the bubble. We will talk more and more about football in the coming weeks but first of all it’s important for me to prepare myself to stay five or six months in the bubble.” Despite a new coach and club going through a rebuilding phase, FC Goa qualified for the semi-finals last season after finishing fourth in the league. They drew both their semi-final legs against Mumbai City FC but couldn’t make it to the final after losing the second match in the penalty shootout.