Bengaluru: “It's the most enjoyable football you can play. And what he (Albert Roca) is trying to bring to this club is the most enjoyable football,” Cameron Watson quips with an easy smile.
It’s been just over a month since Bengaluru FC signed the Australian to bolster their midfield and it is easy to see why Roca, a former Barcelona assistant coach, roped him in.
“What Albert has brought now (playing style) is similar to what I had at Adelaide United, with a Spanish coach Josep Gombau. It's stuff I've played before. He and Albert know each other. They're friends, both from Barcelona. The things I hear from Albert are what I've heard from Gombau. The process is easier for me,” remarked the midfielder.
“Albert doesn't really look at what other teams are doing. He's more concentrated on playing that one style, and he's been pretty adamant about that from day one. Every training session, every practice game has been about a certain way of playing. He probably could have changed something along the way if it wasn't working, but he's persisted and persisted. 'If it's not working now, it will eventually work’. He's confident because he's been doing it for so long. He has the confidence in us to execute his game plan on the field,” he added.
With a wealth of experience of playing in the A League in Australia and stints in Europe during his career, Watson also brings in the experience of having played in the AFC Champions League to the I-League champions.
And with their AFC Cup quarterfinal tie against Tampines Rover two days from now, the 29-year-old is aware and eager to provide the support his team needs.
“Any competition in Asia is massive. You see the crowd, the build up, the anticipation. For me it's a do or die game. You've got two games; if you lose, you're out. It's not just big for the club but the city and the fans. It's a big opportunity.
“You kind of let players deal with themselves. When you get close to the game and people are getting nervous and anxious -- which is normal -- basically, controlling that. My experience and especially that of Alvaro Rubio in the middle...he has played 300 games in Spain and he's a class player...(will help),” he revealed.
“I think there's enough cool heads in the team. We've got enough experience with Sunil (Chhetri) and Eugene (Lyngdoh) and Johnno (John Johnson) at the back in case they get a little bit rattled,” he concedes before adding that he feels at home in Bengaluru.
A move across continents that came up after a phone call from yet another Aussie, former BFC striker Sean Rooney. “I was with Newcastle Jets last season and have been a free agent in the off season. Had a call from Sean Rooney. He said the club was looking for someone in that position and that he knew someone affiliated at the club. I said of course I would be interested. I knew Sean and Arthur Papas very well. He had a lot of good things to say about not just this club, but the country as a whole. How passionate the people are here and it was a no-brainer. It didn’t take much convincing,” he signed off.
