Indian Super League (ISL) champions Mumbai City FC have announced that midfielder Rowllin Borges has agreed to a contract extension with the club which will see him commit his future to the Islanders until May 2024, with an option to extend for a further year. 

The 29-year-old was a vital cog in the Mumbai City squad that clinched the unique ‘double�?in the 2020/21 season, winning the ISL League Winners�?Shield and the ISL Trophy. 

The Goan midfield lynchpin made 20 appearances for the Islanders in the 2020/21 season, scoring twice and providing one assist. With 1124 completed passes, Rowllin also finished the season in the top three passers in the league. 

As a certain Italian gentleman would say, ..

..because the tank keeps Rowllin'! #Rowllin2024 #AamchiCity @RowllinB pic.twitter.com/CFkXhlzVl8

�?Mumbai City FC (@MumbaiCityFC) June 5, 2021

"This team, this club, it is my family. I am delighted to commit my future here, with Mumbai City. The last two years of my career have been an incredible learning curve for me and especially the last season - it was nothing short of a dream for all of us,�?Rowllin Borges said in a Mumbai City FC press release. 

The midfielder also praised head coach Sergio Lobera for helping him evolve as a player and as a person.

“Coach Sergio Lobera's style is very unique, and it's the style I enjoy the most. I have evolved both as a player and as a person under him, and it's a great moment for me to be able to continue here at Mumbai City for the best years of my career.

“Last season's trophies was just the beginning for us, and I am looking forward to celebrating a lot more successes with the Islanders' family for a long time to come," he added.

Meanwhile, Sergio Lobera has expressed his happiness after Rowllin Borges agreed to a contract extension with the ISL champions.

"As I have said before, to win trophies you need to have good Indian players and I think Rowllin is the best in his position. He has consistently shown his quality and he proved it again last season in particularly tough circumstances,�?the former FC Barcelona assistant stated.

“He’s a figure of inspiration for his teammates and everyone in the group. It's really good to have him around. He is not only experienced, but also a great team player, and for me that matters the most. I am very happy that Rowllin has extended his time with the Mumbai City family and I wish him many more years of success with us,�?Sergio Lobera added.

Currently a part of the Indian National Team squad for the Qualifiers of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the AFC Asian Cup China 2023, Rowllin has established his position as one of the best midfielders in the country and will continue to be a key figure for Sergio Lobera’s Islanders in a highly anticipated 2021-22 campaign and the foreseeable future. 

Featured photo: Mumbai City FC 

 

Mumbai City FC captain Amrinder Singh has heaped praise on their coach Sergio Lobera, who had earlier propelled the Islanders to the top of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2020-21 points table.

The City goalkeeper has lauded the winning mentality of Lobera and claimed that the former FC Goa coach is the best he has played under.

“Sergio is the best coach I have played under. He is fantastic, with a winning pedigree. He has had a great impact on the team since the first day and injected the winning mentality. The way we made a comeback against Kerala Blasters after our loss against NorthEast United was just fabulous,�?Amrinder was quoted as saying to TOI.

Lobera was a former youth and assistant FC Barcelona coach before managing clubs such as Las Palmas and Moghreb Tétouan. The 44-year-old’s possession-based brand of football transformed the Gaurs into one of India’s most attractive footballing teams.

“We have all seen what he did with Goa. His footballing philosophy is quite similar to Barcelona and Manchester City. He likes possession-based football, and so far, we as a team have tried to execute his plans on the ground. His style of play is new to Indian football, but players have also adapted to it quite successfully,�?Amrinder added in the interview.

Several former FC Goa players, including Ahmed Jahouh, Hugo Boumous, Mourtada Fall, and Mandar Rao Dessai, followed Lobera to join Mumbai.

“The new signings have boosted our strength. Players like Mandar, Hugo have played under Sergio and understand his style, which has also helped us hit the ground running,�?he said.

Mumbai currently sits two points behind league leaders ATK Mohun Bagan. The Cityzens need to defeat Bengaluru FC to leapfrog the Mariners, and as a place at AFC Champions League is at stake, things may go down to the wire.

“We know the importance of finishing top of the table. It will get us the automatic qualification to the AFC Champions League. Trust me, every individual in this squad is motivated to finish the league on top,�?said Amrinder.

The Indian football team goalkeeper has been in brilliant form as he has kept eight clean sheets in the ongoing edition of the ISL, and he is just one behind ATKMB’s Arindam Bhattacharya (nine). 

“Personal milestones don’t matter to me that much. Yes, I am satisfied with my performance, but my team’s success comes first. As the leader of this talented group, I would like to end the season with the silverware,�?he stated.

Feature image courtesy: 2021 Indian Super League

Best Finish: Semi-finalists (2016, 2018-19)

Head Coach: Sergio Lobera

Mumbai City FC might have narrowly missed out on a playoff spot in the last edition of the ISL but fans will have high hopes from the club as they begin a new chapter under the City Football Group this time. That's not the only reason for their excitement though.

Former FC Goa head coach Sergio Lobera has been roped in as well to head the proceedings at the club, and he will be expected to bring the same success to Mumbai City as he did for the Gaurs during his stint with them in the last three seasons.

How did Mumbai City FC fare in the last ISL season?

Mumbai City FC looked well on course to make it to the semifinals last time but heartbreaking losses in their last two league stage matches threw them out of the playoff race. They finished in the fifth spot with 26 points, just three points behind fourth-placed Chennaiyin FC, and the major cause for their undoing can be attributed to their inability to score enough goals.

Jorge Costa and his men could accumulate just 25 goals in their league campaign last year, which was four goals lesser than what they conceded and also, the fourth-lowest number of goals scored among all teams.

How is the Mumbai City FC squad shaping up for this season?

Sergio Lobera has completely revamped the Mumbai City squad since his arrival. He has brought most of his preferred first-choice players at FC Goa with him to this club. He brought the likes of Mandar Rao Desai, Ahmed Jahouh and Mourtada Fall on a free transfer to Mumbai whereas Hugo Boumous (11 goals and 10 Assists for FC Goa last season) was brought at a record transfer fee of �?.6 crores as well.

Lobera's work in the transfer market doesn't end there as he has brought two active overseas forwards like Cy Goddard and Adam Le Fondre from the A-League as well. Le Fondre, in particular, comes with a big reputation. He has not only played in the English Premier League but has also won the A-League twice.

Add to that their talented Indian contingent of players like Raynier Fernandes, Mohammad Rakip, Mehtab Singh, Farukh Choudhary, Rowlin Borges among others and Mumbai looks like a formidable side on paper.

Mumbai City's expectations from the 2020/21 season

Mumbai City have been in the semi-finals twice but haven't been able to make it to the final ever. But things are expected to be a lot different this time with a capable leader like Lobera at the helm and such a good roster of players at his expense. They have all the resources to be champions, and their potential is certainly there to see on paper. Now, they just need to translate that into results on the field.

Mumbai City FC squad

Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Kunal Sawant, P Lachenpa

Defenders: Valpuia, Mourtada Fall, Mehtab Singh, Mandar Rao Desai, Thoi Singh, Mohammad Rakip, Sarthak Golui

Midfielders: Ahmed Jahouh, Naorem Tondonba Singh, P Rohlupuia, Hernan Santana, Raynier Fernandes, Bidyananda Singh, Rowlin Borges, Sourav Das, Hugo Boumous, Cy Goddard, Asif Khan

Forwards: Bipin Singh, Vignesh D, Farukh Choudhary, V Pratap Singh, Adam Le Fondre, Bartholomew Ogbeche, Pranjal Bhumij

Best Finish: Runners-up (ISL 2015, 2018-19), Premiers (ISL 2019-20)

Other Trophies: Super Cup (2019)

Head Coach: Juan Ferrando

FC Goa had become a force to reckon with during the last two editions of the Indian Super League. But with a major number of their key players following their former head coach Sergio Lobera to Mumbai City FC, the squad has undergone a complete overhaul from top to bottom.

The current squad, under a young manager like Juan Ferrando, looks quite good on paper. However, Lobera has left a legacy behind with the Gaurs. The football they played during his stint in the last three seasons was the best we had seen from them since the inception of the ISL.

The title might have still eluded them but everyone knows how close they came to lifting the trophy in each of the past two editions. They might have stumbled at the final hurdle every time but the consistency of Lobera and his men throughout these two seasons had been unreal. That's why Ferrando is going to have his task cut out this season.

How did FC Goa fare in the last ISL season?

The Gaurs topped the table in the league stage of the 2019-20 season. Not only did they score the most goals (46) among all teams, they conceded the third-least number of goals (23) as well. It sums up that along with being prolific in offence, they were quite disciplined in defence as well. They were by far the best team in the league last season and looked well on course to lift the trophy as well.

However, things took an unexpected turn in the semi-finals when they gave away a three-goal lead to Chennaiyin FC in the first leg. The Gaurs did make a comeback with a 4-2 win over Chennaiyin in the second leg, but fell short on aggregate. And it was Chennaiyin who strolled into the finale. Apart from that blip in the semi-finals, it was an excellent season for them.

How is the FC Goa squad shaping up for this edition?

The retirement of Ferran Corominas, FC Goa's all-time top-scorer, and the departure of major players like Hugo Boumous, Ahmed Jahouh, Mandar Rao Desai, Mourtada Fall, and Jackichand Singh has left a big void in FC Goa's roster. All of these players had proven themselves as match-winners in the last couple of years and replacing their quality is going to be quite an arduous task. The Gaurs' think tank has been trying though.

The departure of such highly experienced players has made way for the arrival of some really talented youngsters like the 22-year-old Ishan Pandita from Lorca FC (Spanish Segunda division club), Redeem Tlang from NorthEast United and Jorge Ortiz from Atletico Baleares, among others. To add some much-needed experience to the roster, a 36-year-old striker Igor Angulo and a 30-year-old centre-back Ivan Gonzalez, who have experience of playing for many years in Europe, have been brought to the club as well.

Ferrando and his men have tried to plug every hole in their squad quite carefully and the resources bought have high potential on paper as well. But everything depends on execution and how well they use that potential in the field.

FC Goa's expectations from the 2020/21 season

Juan Ferrando has tried his best to build up a good roster of players but this is going to be his first season in the ISL. So, expecting immediate results from him will be too much. He will need time to understand how other teams roll in the ISL and so will other players who are plying their trade in India for the first time. This season for FC Goa, and Ferrando, will be more about finding their feet in the tournament again. They should try to create a strong base before aiming for the sky. If they can do that, they should at least finish in the top half of the table.

FC Goa Squad

GK: M Nawaz, N Kumar, S Dhas, A Da Silva

Defenders: Saniero Fernandes, J Donachie, Seriton Fernandes, I Gonzalez, A Dohling, M Ali, S Gama, S Pereira, L D'Cunha

Midfielders: A Noguera, N Dias, L Rodrigues, E Bedia, A Jesuraj, B Fernandes, P Buam, P Rebello

Forwards: A D'Silva, F Gomes, D Murgaokar, S Doungel, J Ortiz, R Tlang, M Chote, I Angulo, I Pandita

Feature image courtesy: Twitter.com / @FCGoaOfficial

Mumbai City FC have roped in some top international players as they begin their new journey in the Indian Super League (ISL) under the City Football Group, and English striker Adam Le Fondre is probably one of the most high profile names among those signings.

The 33-year-old striker comes to the ISL with a rich experience of 16 years of professional football to his name. During this period, he has scored a total of 228 goals and that sees him placed at sixth in the list of highest English goal-scorers in the 21st century.

Previous stints

Le Fondre has represented a total of nine clubs previously. He started his career with his hometown club Stockport County in 2004 and scored a total of 18 goals during a three-year stint with them. A loan deal with Rochdale followed soon after and it became a permanent one later on. He stayed with them for another two years before moving to Rotherham United, Reading and Cardiff City successively.

In the three years he was associated with Cardiff City, Le Fondre had loan spells with Bolton Wanderers, Wigan Athletic and Wolverhampton Wanderers as well. After his 13-year long spell in English Football, Le Fondre finally set course for international waters as he was signed up by A-League Club Sydney FC in 2017.

Claim to Fame

Le Fondre scored a total of 183 goals along with assisting 44 times in his 532 appearances across 14 seasons of English football. He was once adjudged as the Premier League's Player of the month during his stint with Reading in the 2012-13 season as well. Apart from that, the striker holds the record for being one of the few players to score on their Premier League debut and has netted goals against top Premier League clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton as well.

However, his real claim to fame came during his two-year-long stay with Sydney FC in Australia. The English striker scored 45 goals and supplied four assists in 67 appearances for the club across two seasons and thus helped them to two Grand Final wins and one Premiers as well.

What does he bring to Mumbai City now?

Le Fondre is everything that Mumbai City's head coach Sergio Lobera wants. He has pace, skill, an eye for goals and more importantly, he is a leader as well. All these attributes are similar to Ferran Corominas, who was Lobera's favourite during his stint with FC Goa until last year. But Corominas has hung his boots now and Le Fondre seems to be the right piece to replace him in Lobera's jigsaw. The Spaniard has already brought most of the players who played under him at FC Goa to Mumbai City. And Le Fondre seems to be the final brushstroke of his masterpiece.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Glyn Kirk

Mumbai City FC have appointed Sergio Lobera as their new coach after having let go of former boss Jorge Costa last month.

Lobera was available after parting ways with FC Goa towards the business end of the 2019-20 ISL season. Given the success he had enjoyed with the Goan franchise, there was no shortage of suitors for his services with Kerala Blasters FC and Jamshedpur FC both showing an interest.

However, Mumbai City FC have been able to close the deal to acquire the services of the former Barcelona assistant coach.

"It's a done deal. The coach has already submitted a list of players that he is keen to have with him at Mumbai. While there is no compulsion on Mumbai to sign whoever he recommends, those that are tried and tested here will surely find favour," a senior official from Mumbai City FC told Times of India on Tuesday.

Lobera had a memorable stint with FC Goa, after replacing Zico at the helm in 2017. Under the Spaniard, the Gaurs made it to the semi-finals in each of the previous three seasons.

Lobera will be taking over from Jorge Costa at Mumbai City FC, who was discharged of his duties by the club last month. The Islanders finished fifth last season, narrowly missing out on a semi-final spot.

Lobera seems to be already planning a squad rebuild at Mumbai City FC, with the Spaniard keen on bringing in FC Goa midfield mainstay Ahmed Jahouh along with him. FC Goa defender Mourtada Fall has also been linked with a move to the Islanders.

 

Photo courtesy: Twitter/ @GoalAfrica