Miku: 'I am happy and focused at BFC'
"During the pre-season I was very close to going back to South America (to Colombian side Atletico Nacional)," says Miku.
Published : Sep 25, 2018 01:01 IST
Miku may have spoken of lucrative offers from China in the aftermath of last season's ISL final, but Bengaluru FC's Venezuelan forward has remained at the club. The 33-year-old insists he is fully committed to BFC's cause and is not pursuing a move away, but he also suggests he will not shut the door on any opportunities.
“During the pre-season I was very close to going back to South America (to Colombian side Atletico Nacional),” Miku told Sportstar here on Monday. “In the end I didn't go due to intermediary problems. I still have some offers (laughs). But this is football, no? You have a good performance, some offer comes in. It is like in any job. If another job offers a greater salary, you accept it. But I am not looking for a move. I am happy here and I am focused here.”
Miku added: “Maybe we'll have the problem in December again because the transfer window opens, but I am focused on this season. If you think too far ahead you lose your mind and you lose your energy. God sends something at the right time and you will take it.”
Life off the field was difficult last season for Miku. But things are different now, with his wife and three children – six, three and two years old – having shifted base to Bengaluru, where the family lives in a gated community. “It was tough last season. I used to travel to Spain when we had two days off – I would be with them for five or six hours and then fly back. Some days you need your family, you need a word or a hug. It's difficult when you are alone. But now I feel better. We have started to have a life.”
Miku, who scored 15 times in the last ISL campaign, is confident of another good display from BFC, even if he feels the squad has lost a couple of important players. “Last season we were the best team. This time, I think other teams have better squads and we need to fight from the first game. The loss of Subhasish Bose was a big problem when we started the season (AFC Cup). He had really improved. He lost weight, went to the national team, and was the owner of the left side of the field. When he left, I thought, 'What do we do now?' We also lost one of the league's best defenders in John Johnson. Pre-season I was afraid but now I am happy. We have a lot of players to cover those positions.”
BFC's new head coach, Carles Cuadrat, is a different personality when compared to Albert Roca, Miku feels. “In terms of football, nothing has changed. Maybe we've improved. Because we've kept Albert's good things and added Carles' ideas. But as a personality, Albert is a guy who keeps more of a distance between himself and his players, between his problems and players' problems. Carles is closer to the players; he understands you more, hears you more, gives you more support with things off the field.”
Miku cannot wait to renew his partnership with Sunil Chhetri in the ISL, where the pair scored 29 goals between them last season. “Sunil thinks very fast,” he says. “We have great communication on the field – with our body language, just looking, we know what the other is thinking. It helped us get results last time. We want to do the same this year.”