Exclusive Interview With Renan Paulino

 Renan Paulino, the 28-year old Brazilian maestro, has been in fine form for Shillong Lajong. His experience pushes the entire team, and he is a big reason as to why Shillong Lajong are doing so well in the I-League. Today, Renan was kind enough to answer some questions while enjoying his mid-season break!

1) How did you get to know about Indian football?

I did not know too much about Indian football before I came here. It was through my agents that I came here. I had just left my club in Lithuania, and was looking for a new club. My agent then told me that he got an offer from an Indian 2nd division side with very good local players, and in that moment, I decided to come to India.

2) How is the quality of I-League?

I-League is a very good league, with very good teams and good stadiums. The players here are very skilled, and the fans are also amazing. Every game we play in Shillong, the stadium is full, which is a huge motivation for us to go out and do well!

3) How does the quality of play compare to Lithuania?

The level of play when comparing I-League to the Lithuanian top division is similar, although the main difference is that there are more fans in India. When I was playing in Lithuania, the stadiums were empty, but here, the stadium is full. The Indian Super League has more quality than the Lithuanian top division I would think.

4) Would you like to play in the Indian Super League?

Yes, of course. The Indian Super League is a very good league, and when compared to the I-League, has more structure, and the clubs are more professional. I would love to get a chance to play in the ISL!

5) What are the objectives for Shillong Lajong in the second half of the season?

Shillong Lajong moved up from the 2nd division I-League last season, so our expectations are a little bit realistic. This season, our main objective is to avoid relegation and stay in the I-League. Once that is achieved, we will move onto the next objective, which is to fight for Top 3, and ultimately, the title, and promotion to the ISL.

6) What message would you like to share to the Shillong Lajong fans?

I want to thank you guys for all you support, and without you guys, we are nothing. The fans are very important, and together, we can achieve great things!

Once again, a huge thank you to Renan for taking out some of his time to answer these questions, and good luck to him and his team for the remainder of the season!

Exclusive Interview With Takuto Miki

Takuto Miki, the 20 year-old forward from Japan, shocked the Indian football community by leaving Shillong Lajong after just 6 games. His fearless style of play was a sight to behold at the SSA stadium every matchday, and Shillong Lajong fans were sad to see him leave so soon. Takuto is now back in Japan, and while he waits for his next club, he gracefully answered some questions.

How did you hear about Indian football?

Yeah, so as you know, after I left my club in Indonesia, I was searching for a new club. My agent told me that I might get an offer from I-League, and I knew about the quality of I-League, and I was excited to play in this league. Before coming to India, I knew about the ISL, Indian NT, and even I-League, and I knew the Indian local players were very good.

What was life like in Shillong? 

Shillong was a very beautiful city, and life was very comfortable there. The weather was very similar to Japan, so I was used to the conditions!

Were you surprised about the quality of the players in Shillong Lajong?   

Like I said before, I knew about the quality that Indian players possess. When I got there, however, I was surprised to see how hard the players work. The people of Shillong are very football oriented, and I could see that on the field and in the training sessions.

Why did you leave Shillong Lajong?

Obviously, I cannot say everything, but there were a few differences between me and the coaching staff. I had a different plan for the season, and the coaching staff had a different plan, which is normal in football. There were also differences in the tactics of the game. I have no bad feeling towards the coaching staff, they are obviously wonderful. You know Bobby is our coach, and this is his first experience coaching a professional club, and he is a great person, but I wanted to learn from a coach with more experience so I could improve faster.

What are your next steps and what is your dream?

Haha, I know there are a lot of rumours about me! What I will say is that since I terminated my contract early, I know how to wait until January 2024 to see where I go next. As you guys know, I have an offer from an ISL club, and I want to try the top league of India. I also have an offer from the Malaysian top division, so I am still deciding where to go next. My dream is to play in the AFC Champions League, and I hope I can get there one day!

Finally, what would you like to say to the fans of Shillong Lajong?

The fans were a great asset in my football career, and I want to thank you guys for helping me grow up! This encounter will be a treasure to me forever!                   

Aibanbha Dohling signs a 2 year contract with FC Goa

Aibhanbha Dohling has signed a 2 year contract with ISL side FC Goa. The 23 year old defender has joined the Gaurs from relegated side Shillong Lajong for a transfer fee of approximately 23 lakh. The versatile defender is also a long throw specialist and will be a valuable addition to FC Goa as they look to win the ISL title next season.

Aibanbha Dohling started his career with the Shillong Lajong youth side before joining the Tata football academy in 2011. In 2016, he returned to Shillong Lajong senior team and made his I-League debut against Mohun Bagan. He was an integral part of Shillong Lajong's squad for the past 3 years and now will play an important role in FC Goa.

Mohun Bagan shortlist 5 managers for the vacant manager role

Mohun Bagan, in a bid to overhaul their complete team, are looking at the profiles of five foreign coaches to lead the Mariners next season. Here is the list of the five coaches being looked at by the club officials :

1) Óscar Cano : The 46 year old Spaniard has coached many lower league clubs in Spain as well as the Qatar U-19 team. He was most recently in charge of CD Castellon.

2) Paulo Menezes : The 41 year old Portugese coach has managed Aizawl FC in the past and is on the shortlist for the prestigious job of the Mohun Bagan head coach.

3) Fernando Valera : Like Paulo Menezes, the Spanish coach has had experience in India, having coached Gokulam last season but was sacked before the season started.

4) Karim Bencherifa : The 51 year old Moroccan was previously the head coach of Mohun Bagan as well as a host of other Indian clubs. He last managed Warriors FC in the Singaporean top flight.

5) Lluís Planagumà : The 38 year old Spanish coach has been the manager of a bunch of Spanish reserve teams and is currently the manager of Hércules CF in the third tier of Spain.

The new coach of Mohun Bagan will be announced next week and the Mariners faithful will hope that their new coach will lead them to the title next season.

Seriton Fernandes signs new 3 year deal with FC Goa

 Seriton Fernandes has signed a new 3 year deal with his hometown club FC Goa, keeping him at the club until 2022. The 26 year old midfielder is a key part of FC Goa's team and Goa will be delighted to have secured his services for the next three seasons.

The Goan midfielder started his career at the Dempo Academy before playing for Laxmi Prasad and Churchill Brothers in the Goa Pro League. He made his I-league debut against Bengaluru FC in 2016 with Sporting Goa, and in 2017 he played in the I-League for Goan giants Churchill Brothers, before making the switch to ISL club FC Goa in 2017. He made his mark in the Indian Super League  in the 2018-19 season, and is expected to be capped for the Indian national football team soon.

The contract extension was announced officially on FC Goa's twitter account

Happiness has many forms. For Seriton Fernandes, it's signing a new three-year contract with his hometown club.#FCGOA represent! #Seriton2022 #NowWeRise pic.twitter.com/Bi1YC0HFJS

— FC Goa (@FCGoaOfficial) May 2, 2019

Naorem Mahesh Singh in advanced talks with East Bengal

Naorem Mahesh Singh is close to joining East Bengal for the upcoming season. The 20 year old Manipuri forward is close to signing for Indian giants East Bengal on a 3 year deal with an option for 2 more years. East Bengal manager Alejandro Mendendez identified Naorem as a long term signing to replace Joby Justin, and the deal barring extraordinary circumstances will be completed soon.

Naorem Mahesh Singh started his career with Birchandra Memorial Sporting Club in his home state before joining the Shillong Lajong youth academy. After a season of playing in the Shillong premier League, he was promoted to the senior squad at the start of the 2018-19 I-League season. He played in all 20 games and scored 4 goals, which isn't deplorable considering the fact that Shillong were relegated to the second tier. Under Alejandro, he will only continue to grow and maybe even surpass the level of Joby Justin.

Carlos Peña signs a one year contract extension with FC Goa

Carlos Peña has signed a one year contract extension with FC Goa. The 35 year old Spanish defender was roped in as a leader with tons of experience, and since he played his role perfectly last season, the FC Goa management has decided to reward him with a new one year deal. FC Goa have managed to retain their core set of foreigners, with Hugo Boumous, Mourtada Fall and Edu Bedia signing new contracts, while Ahmed Jahouh is going to becoming the highest paid player in the league with his new deal.

Carlos Peña has a wealth of experience in Spain, having started his career at Barcelona. He played for Barcelona B for 5 years before moving on to Albacete in the Spanish second division. After 3 years with the club, he signed a four year deal with Recreativo, but left for Valladoid after only one season, where he played in La Liga as well as the Segunda Division. After signing with a few other Spanish lower tier clubs, he moved to India in 2018, signing with FC Goa, where he played 19 matches for the club. His good performance has earned him a fresh deal at the club.

The contract renewal was announced on FC Goa's twitter account.

Officially official! 🐂⚽✅

Carlos Peña is here to stay 1 more year. #NowWeRise pic.twitter.com/SvJqhcjdwp

— FC Goa (@FCGoaOfficial) April 29, 2019