*FC Goa sign goalkeepers Hansel Coelho & Viddhesh Bhonsle to Dev team contracts**FC Goa sign goalkeepers Hansel Coelho & Viddhesh Bhonsle to Dev team contracts*
~ The Gaurs bolster Dev Team’s last line of defence ~
Goa, July, 2020: FC Goa is pleased to announce that the Club has signed young goalkeepers Hansel Coelho and Viddhesh Bhonsle. The Goan duo will be part of the Developmental Team up till the 2022-23 season.
The duo impressed with their performance between the sticks during their time at SESA Football Academy, performing admirably in the Goa Professional League as well as the GFA U-18 tournament.
Viddhesh Bhonsle spent the 2018/19 season at FC Goa on loan, and has now signed a permanent contract with the Club.
“I’m so happy to be a part of the FC Goa family,” Viddhesh said, after signing a permanent contract.
“The club has shown faith in me by signing me to the Dev Team and I’m looking forward to repaying them by performing on the pitch.”
Hansel Coelho was just as pleased to be a part of the Gaurs.
“I’m delighted to sign for FC Goa and be a part of this club,” he said.
“I have worked hard for this opportunity and cannot wait to play my first game for the Dev Team.”
FC Goa Director of Football, Ravi Puskur also stated his excitement at the duo signing with the Gaurs.
“Hansel and Viddhesh are two young keepers with a lot of potential,” he said. “We have been tracking their progress for a few years now, and both have the capacity to develop into first team goalkeepers in the future. Viddhesh has had the benefit of having been on loan to us previously and is well versed with building out from the back. Hansel has shown great promise and we hope that with a few years of work under his belt, he will be knocking on the doors of the first team."
The signing of the two goalkeepers follows the contract extensions of three Developmental players Nestor Dias, Lesly Rebello and Kapil Hoble last week.
About FC Goa
FC Goa is a professional football club based out of Goa that competes in the Indian Super League (ISL) and is the current holder of the Super Cup. Nicknamed the Gaurs, FC Goa has been one of the most consistent teams in the ISL - reaching 3 semi-finals and 2 finals in 6 seasons.
In Season 2019/20, the club won the Hero ISL League Winners Shield, by finishing top of the table in the league stages and became the first ever club from India to qualify for the group stages of the AFC Champions League. The Gaurs are also the only ISL side to win more than 50 games and score more than 200 goals.
Co-owned by Mr Jaydev Mody, Mr Akshay Tandon and Mr Virat Kohli, FC Goa is one of few Indian Clubs to have a complete youth development ecosystem. It’s U14, U16, U18 and Developmental Teams compete at the highest levels in Goa and nationally. The system has produced recognizable talents like Saviour Gama, Princeton Rebello and many more. The Gaurs are also the current Champions of the Goa Professional League, GFA U20 & GFA U18 Leagues.