ISL: Lenny Rodrigues pens two-year extension with FC Goa

Panaji, June 25 (IANS) After having helped Indian Super League side FC Goa to two trophies in as many seasons, the club on Thursday announced that seasoned midfielder Lenny Rodrigues has penned a two-year extension with the outfit.

The deal will see Lenny remain a Gaur till the summer of 2022, the club said in a statement.

“This is just perfect for me. To play for the club I love and support, to be near my loved ones and to be representing the people of Goa,” said Lenny after putting pen to paper on the new deal.

“The last two seasons have been amazing for me. We won a lot of games. We won the Super Cup and the ISL League Winners Shield. We all want to build on that.

“I am already excited for the next season. It’s a new chapter and we get to play in the AFC Champions League as well. I am looking forward to it all”

Speaking on the extension, Ravi Puskur, FC Goa’s Director of Football, further stressed on Lenny’s importance to the team in the past and going forward. He stated, “Lenny is an important cog in the wheel of FC Goa and is a player who adds a great deal of experience to the team. Lenny is a player with a winning mentality and will be an important sounding board for the younger players coming through in the dressing room.

“On the pitch as well, he has been one of the best Indian midfielders and his numbers show his consistency. We’re pleased that Juan (Ferrando) will be able to count on Lenny’s experience and capabilities for the next season and beyond.”

Lenny returned home to Goa in 2018, when he signed for the Gaurs as a free agent after his contract with Bengaluru FC expired. In his very first season in the Orange of FC Goa, the central midfielder helped the club to a runners-up finish in the Indian Super League before playing a pivotal role in the club’s triumph in the Super Cup — the club’s first piece of silverware.

–IANS

dm/bbh