FC Goa's Leander D'Cunha snubbed offers from several other clubs three years ago and instead chose to join FC Goa's developmental squad. While many thought it would not be conducive to his career, the move has finally paid off with D'Cunha making it into the FC Goa first team recently.
However, it's only the beginning of his dream.
"When I was told that I made the senior team, it felt like a dream come true," he said after putting pen to paper for a three-year deal at the FC Goa first team.
The Goan elucidated to Goal, "I played in the Santosh Trophy three years ago (2017) when Goa reached the final (lost 1-0 to West Bengal), after which I got a call to join the (FC Goa) development team. I had many offers that year but I chose FC Goa because I had a dream to play for the first team of FC Goa.
"Since the second year, I had a feeling that I would get a chance (in the first team) if I perform well but I couldn't make it. I didn't get that much playing time due to injuries. Last year was a good season for me and I always had a feeling that I would make it."
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FC Goa
FC Goa have a history of promoting players from the developmental side to the first team. In fact, when D'Cunha joined the developmental team from Churchill Brothers in 2017, the likes of Liston Colaco and Kingslee Fernandes made it to the senior team from the developmental side, followed by the trio of Mohammad Nawaz, Saviour Gama and Princeton Rebello in the 2018-19 season.
Colaco joined Hyderabad FC midway last season after struggling for game time in his three-year stint at the Goan outfit and while Shubham Dhas - promoted in 2019-20 - and Fernandes remain the only promoted players yet to make their senior team debuts.
Leander is significantly aware of the challenge at hand.
"This season is very important for me. Seriton (Fernandes) has been very consistent and even called up for the (Indian) national team. I am also a right back. So I have to first try to gather whatever knowledge I can from his (Seriton) experience and give my best on the pitch. Hopefully, I will get some game time eventually," D'Cunha stated.
FC Goa
From playing age group inter-village tournaments in his home town of Cuncolim to representing Sesa FA (2012-2014) and Churchill Brothers (2014-2017) before joining FC Goa's developmental team, D'Cunha's progression has been evident. He clinched the Goa Pro League and lifted the Goa Police Cup as captain last season and explains the role Derrick Pereira and Clifford Miranda have played in his progress.
"To train under an experienced coach as Derrick Pereira, I learned a lot from coach Derrick who is one of the best coaches in India. Clifford (Miranda) also guided me a lot. They (Pereira and Miranda) also stressed that 'football is not only about what you do on the pitch, it's what you do off the pitch as well' - proper sleep, proper diet, avoid unhealthy food - so I followed that.
"Everyone (at the developmental team) is motivated because they can now see for themselves that anyone who performs well stands a chance to be promoted to the first team," he concluded.
Recently, the club has announced that the likes of Nestor Dias, Lesly Rebello and Kapil Hoble have extended their FC Goa developmental team contracts till 2023 among whom Lesly was Leander's team-mate when they won the 2018-19 GFA (Goa Football Association) U-20 championship.
It remains to be seen how Leander's season shapes up in the 2020-21 campaign.
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