“If you want to live your dream ,you have to always work hard . One can hardly afford to take a break because every one strives to be the best . There are no full stops in pursuit of the best ,” believes Glan Martins who will be donning the colours of ATK when the new football season begins.
Glan had to wait for his contract with Sporting Clube de Goa to get over to make his first move to the I-league. “ I knew that I would be spottedby a team in Indian Super league (ISL) had I joined an I-league team. I joined Churchill Brothers and am now in ISL. I don’t want to look back now,” asserts Glan .
Glan showed promise at a young age and was once amongst the few Indian football youngsters to give a trial to a club in USA when he was 18. Greek Tassos Silous was the first to see his capabilities and Glan has kept on improving since.
“ We wanted to sign him in the Januray transfer window. He could not join us then but we are happy to have him with us now. He has a lot of talent and fits into our coaches style of play , “ a member of ATK technical team told goalfest on condition of anonymity.
“ Actually , when I was informed that ATK were keen on signing me, during the January tranfer window , I was elated. However, at that time , I could not desert Churchill Brothers because ,at that time , we were in contention for the I-Legue title and I did not feel it was right to abandon ship. The Churchill family was good to me right from the beginning,” admits Glan.
Glan has reached this far because he uses his head when in possesion of the ball. A good reader of the game and a player capable of grasping his colleagues minds, Glan occupies a lot of space on the field be it in front or back in the defense. Controlling the pace of the game is one of his forte.
“I still have a lot of things to learn.There will be new hurdles on my way ahead and I am ready for them. I wanted to be in the starting XI of the team and I know I need to work a lot for that place because I am atlast playing amongst the best in the country,” says Glan who, at 25, has a lot in store in him.
“When one is at the top, competition always increases. I will need to be more aggressive now , work even harder and keep learning from the mistakes I made in the past. I have to improve all aspects of my game on the field and even my life off the field,” says the unassuming lad from Velsao in South Goa.
“Playing for a team in ISL was definitely one of my goals. It is not the end because my aim and the ultimate aim of any player is to be the best on the field.To be the best is my ultimate . ATK is the best team in the ISL and I am happy to be with the best team of India. The team will make my journey much easier,” predicts Glan.
“ I come from a simple family and it is this family that has stood by me right from the time I started my walk with football. My mother and father (seen in Picture) were the two who always believed in me and as I take these steps forward in Indian football , they are still behind me. This journey and the ones ahead will be for them and all my fans,” retorted Glan as he gets back to the ATK training manual sent to the teams players.
ATK has had players from Goa in the past. Cavin Lobo was one who will be remebered for his goal against FC Goa. Glan is capable of adding more colour to those lines.
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