Margao: Ahead of their much-awaited debut in the Indian Super League (ISL), Churchill Brothers have done most things right. The streets are lined up with posters and banners showcasing the club’s rich history in Indian football, they’ve signed a clutch of local players, and the social media feed has Goenkarponn oozing from everywhere.The club’s jersey, too, pays tribute to the “Goan identity, history, and pride”. Tickets have been priced at a low Rs 100 for the East stand and Rs 200 for the West. Everything done right for fans to come in numbers to Fatorda for their opener against Mumbai City FC on Sunday.Now, it’s over to coach Dimitris Dimitriou and his players.“Goans have been waiting for so long for this Goan club to be in the ISL,” Dimitriou said during the pre-match media interaction. “We are expecting a lot of fans. We have to give back all the love that the people have shown to the club. They have to leave with a smile on their faces, seeing us play good football, being competitive.”As Churchill make their debut, a little bit of rewind can help.The two-time former I-League champions have longed to play in the ISL, believed they had earned the right to feature in the top tier of Indian football after finishing on top of during the 2024-25 season, only to be stopped by two orders from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Just when all doors appeared to have shut, a window opened in the form of Jamshedpur FC shutting first team operations and then transferring its sporting license to the Goan club.The developments meant Churchill’s pre-season training was delayed, and as Dimitriou later pointed out, they’ve had to “fast forward,” finishing 37 training sessions in 25 days.“It’s the beginning of the league, beginning of a new era. The expectations are high because Churchill Brothers is a club with a winning mentality. It’s always in the title race. We will be competitive,” said the Cypriot coach.Churchill have retained 12 players from their previous competitive season (2024-25), and it includes Kingslee Fernandes, now named captain.“It’s a proud moment to represent Churchill in the ISL,” said Kingslee. “We have a good mix of young and experienced players, and our coach has motivated us throughout the training sessions. The preparations have been good, and we are looking forward to the opener. We will give our best and aim to make our supporters proud.”Other familiar faces include Stendly Fernandes, Trijoy Dias, Anil Gaonkar, Lalremruata, besides two foreigners – Wayde Lekay and Sebastian Gutierrez. The latest addition includes Burkina Faso midfielder Dramane Salou and Alexandre Yeoule, while three new Nigerian signings are understood to be waiting for their visas.“We only know that Churchill have retained many players, so it’s best for us to focus on ourselves,” said Mumbai coach Manolo Marquez, who spent three years at FC Goa and knows Goan football better than many experts. “They have the same players, same coach, and some foreigners, but it’s true that they started the pre-season late. We don’t know if some foreigners will be there or not. But obviously it’s their first game in the ISL and the motivation will be high. They will make it difficult for us.”
