FC Goa confirms the appointment of Gorka Azkorra and Joel Dones as the Club’s new Assistant Coach and Strength & Conditioning Coach respectively for the upcoming season.

Azkorra, a UEFA A license holder, has been working with the youth teams at Athletic Bilbao for the past three seasons after retiring from the game as a player in 2018. His playing days saw him making 5 La Liga and 116 Segunda appearances in addition to playing 3 games in the UEFA Cup (erstwhile Europa League) – playing as a professional across 14 seasons.

Azkorra: I’m going to the right Club at the right moment

“I’m very happy to join FC Goa. I feel very confident about us as staff, about the players we have and about the team we are going to be together,” stated Azkorra after signing on the dotted lines.

“I believe that I’m going to the right Club, with the right people (staff, club workers, and players) and at the right moment (people returning to the stadiums), so I’m looking forward to arriving in Goa and beginning the pre-season. It’s going to be a great season, I’m sure”.

Speaking on his appointment, FC Goa’s new Head Coach, Carlos Pena said, “Gorka is a professional with a lot of experience. He is one who lives the game. He has played many years at a high level in Spain and is one who has always had a keen interest in learning the game.

“He has been over the last three years in one of the best academies in Spain (Athletic Bilbao). He is really focussed towards the development of players and being one who pays attention to the small details. This will serve us well this coming season.”

Dones: Excited for the new season

Dones is an experienced strength & conditioning coach with a degree in Sports Science and a Professional master’s degree in High Performance in Team Sports from FC Barcelona. Dones also has a UEFA A License to his name. He has spent a number of years working as the Strength and Conditioning Coach with clubs in Spain in addition to a 2-year stint in the Hong Kong Premier League.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity that FC Goa and Carlos have presented to me. I am looking forward to putting in the required work to move the team to the top of the Indian Super league,” stated Dones following his arrival to the team.

“I’m anxious to know more about India – the culture, the food, the traditions and especially the people. I’m sure this coming season will be an amazing experience for me and my family in this wonderful country.”

FC Goa head coach Carlos Pena also weighed in on the addition of Dones to the first-team coaching staff. “Joel, is an astute professional with a lot of experience of having worked with senior teams, and individual programs with football players. I have worked with him previously during my time with Lleida. I believe he is the perfect guy to push our players and get them to their highest physical level,” stated Pena.

“Both of them share values I want from my technical staff. They are people who will leave no stone unturned when it comes to preparation. They have a real passion for the game and the project we have at hand. I am excited to have them onboard.”

Seriton Fernandes has officially signed a new contract with FC Goa, extending his stay with the Club till the summer of 2024. The new deal will see the Indian International remain with the club for seven seasons after being selected in Round 7 of the ISL Player Draft in 2017.

“I’m delighted to extend my stay with FC Goa,” Seriton Fernandes told fcgoa.in after putting pen-to-paper on his new contract.

“I made my ISL debut with the club nearly five years ago, and I realise that I’ve grown a lot as a footballer since then. FC Goa have played a huge role in my development, and I will happily continue to repay the team with complete love and commitment.

“As one of FC Goa’s senior players, I also understand that I’m at a position where I have to look after not just myself, but also the rest of my team. And there’s a lot that I can and have to do.

“We have an excellent record in the league, but are yet to win the title – and now my full focus will be on getting the club the silverware that they fully deserve.”

FC Goa Director of Football, Ravi Puskur expressed his happiness on Fernandes’ extension.

“Seriton has been a vital cog in FC Goa’s wheel for the best part of 5 seasons now. In those five seasons, he’s established himself as not just one of the best right backs in the country but as a senior statesman in the dressing room. It was only prudent for us to continue with him given his consistent performances over the years,” said Puskur.

“He’s adapted well to the demands of his position over the years but we believe he has a lot more to give and with our new coaching staff on board, we’ll be looking to push his limits even further and endeavour to make him a marauding full back and expose his attacking potential to the full.

“After the disappointment of missing out on the playoffs last season, we’re keen to get the team back into the positions that it has been accustomed to and we expect Seriton to play a big part in getting us there.”

A hit from the get-go
Seriton became an instant hit in the side, featuring in 19 out of the 20 matches in his first season with the Gaurs – catching the eyes with his lung-bursting overlapping runs down the right wing.

The 29-year-old missed just 21 minutes of action in the 2018-19 season of the ISL, when the Men in Orange finished runners-up. 2019, also saw him play in every game of their title-winning Super Cup campaign – the Club’s first taste of silverware.

In the 2019-20 season, Fernandes was an integral part of the FC Goa side that wrapped up their campaign as the table-toppers, thereby becoming the first ISL side to lift the League Winners’ Shield and cementing a historic group-stage spot in the AFC Champions League. The following year, the right-back made his debut in the continental competition, eventually making an appearance in all but one of the six matches played by the Club.

The right-back was rewarded for his performances last year with his maiden Indian bow in September before being named a part of the 2021 SAFF Championship squad.

The Quepem-based footballer was also a part of the Gaurs’ title-winning squad in the 2021 Durand Cup, making him one of the most successful players at the club. He further holds the distinction of being the most-capped footballer for the Men in Orange, with 108 appearances across all competitions.

In the ISL, Fernandes has clocked 8247 minutes across 95 matches, also notching four assists to-date. During this period, he has averaged 3.64 tackles, 1.09 interceptions, 2.44 clearances, 1.11 blocks and 38.56 passes per game, with an overall passing accuracy of 78.81%.