ISL feature: Derrick Pereira wants to go back to the old normal

Matches
without
fans
and
tournaments
beig
played
at
a
single
venue
in
a
secure
bio-bubble
has
become
the
new
norm.

With
a
steady
surge
in
the
Omicron
variant
of
COVID-19
virus,
many
of
the
bio
bubbles
have
been
burst
and
ISL
is
no
exception
with
four
matches
being
postponed
till
date.

ISL
2021-22:
Hyderabad
FC
vs
Jamshedpur
FC
match
postponed

Though
matches
all
across
the
globe
has
seen
fans
returning
to
the
stadiums,
ISL
is
still
being
played
behing
closed
doors,
a
scanerio
which
FC
Goa
coach
Derrick
Pereira
hopes
will
change
sooner,
rather
than
later.

“I
would
always
like
to
get
back
to
the
old
times,
the
normal
times
as
we
say,”
Pereira
told

FC
Goa
Media
on
the
eve
of
their
ISL
tie
against
SC
East
Bengal
at
the
Bambolim
Athletic
Stadium
in
Goa.

ISL
2021-22:
FC
Goa
vs
SC
East
Bengal:
Live
Telecast,
Live
Streaming,
Timing,
Match
Prediction

The
last
two
seasons
of
ISL
have
been
played
inside
a
bio-bubble
with
the
COVID
19
pandemic
throwing
up
challenges
every
single
day
in
terms
of
the
health
and
safety
of
all
stakeholders.

However,
after
two
seasons
of
playing
behind
closed
doors,
there
seems
to
be
a
yearning
towards
getting
back
to
normal,
especially
with
football
leagues
around
the
world
being
conducted
in
front
of
full
capacity
stadiums.

ISL
FIXTURES
|

POINTS
TABLE

Similar
to
previous
season,
three
venues
in
the
land
of
beaches
–
Fatorda
Stadium
(Pandit
Jawaharlal
Nehru
Stadium)
in
Margao,
Tilak
Maidan
in
Vasco
da
Gama
and
GMC
Athletic
Stadium
in
Bambolin)
are
hosting
the
ISL
this
season,
with
spectators
still
not
allowed
as
per
the
COVID-19
prtocols
and
guidelines.

Pereira
is
waiting
for
the
day
when
fans
would
be
welcome
back
to
the
stadiums
in
large
numbers,
a
similar
sentiment
which
Chennaiyin
FC
coach
Bozidar
Bandovic
had
expressed
sometime
back.

ISL
feature:
Chennaiyin
coach
Bandovic
just
can’t
wait
for
fans
to
return
to
the
stadiums

“Football
is
nothing
without
the
fans.
We
have
some
of
the
most
fantastic
fans
and
we
would
like
to
get
back
to
playing
in
front
of
them
as
soon
as
possible,”
he
added.

With
a
few
COVID-19
cases
being
reported
in
the
ISL
bio-bubble,
Pereira
admitted
that
health
remained
the
top
priority
during
these
unprecedented
times.

“I
have
told
this
time
and
again
before,
the
circumstances
under
which
we
are
operating
are
tough.
The
only
times
most
players
are
getting
out
of
their
rooms
is
to
either
go
to
the
training
or
for
a
game,”
said
Pereira.

“It’s
not
up
to
me
to
decide
whether
we
should
postpone
the
league
or
carry
on.
What
we
can
care
for
are
our
players.
The
health
of
everyone
in
this
organisation
is
important
and
that’s
the
most
important
thing.

“If
it’s
safe
to
play,
we
carry
on.
Otherwise
the
people
in
charge
should
be
able
to
make
a
decision
on
it
because
it’s
important
to
take
care
of
each
and
everyone’s
health,”
he
said.

“What
I
would
like
to
add
to
this
is
that
I
am
both
happy
and
confident
with
the
team.
Whoever
went
in,
performed
to
the
best
of
their
abilities
and
gave
their
all.
We
all
saw
how
good
they
were
despite
all
the
challenges
that
we
have
had
to
face,”
Pereira
signed
off.