After smashing 11 goals in the 2019 Durand Cup en route to helping Gokulam Kerala clinch India's oldest football tournament, Trinidad and Tobago international striker Marcus Joseph has set his eyes on the I-League.
"It was a good feeling to be the top scorer of Durand Cup. If you don't score goals, you don't win matches."
Marcus was the top goalscorer in 2018 TT Pro League, where he netted 18 goals for W Connection and helped them win the title. The 28-year-old hopes to replicate the same with Gokulam Kerala in the I-League this season.
"Yes, I can (become the top goalscorer in I-League). I always do my best to score goals and help my team. My goal is always to score goals and be the best player that I can be."
One of the very few foreigners in India to also be a part of their national team setup, Marcus recently starred in Trinidad and Tobago's 1-1 draw against Martinique in CONCACAF Nations League encounter.
"It is always a great feeling to play for your country. If you represent your country, it means you are one of the top players (in your country)."
Alongside Marcus, the other Trinidad and Tobago players who featured in the squad were Nathaniel Garcia (Gokulam Kerala), Daneil Cyrus (Mohun Bagan), and Marvin Phillip (NEROCA). Radanfah Abu Bakr (Churchill Brothers), Robert Primus (Churchill Brothers), Taryk Sampson (NEROCA), Willis Plaza (Churchill Brothers), and Andre Ettiene (Gokulam Kerala) are some other players from the Carribean nation whom we can catch in action this I-League season.
Marcus heaped praise on all of them, having played with them in his career before.
"I have played with all of them. So, I know their quality. They are very hard-working and very committed to football as well. So, you can see great performances from them."
After holding ISL side Mumbai City FC to a 1-1 draw in a pre-season game, Gokulam Kerala will take on Bengaluru FC, Chennaiyin FC, and Jamshedpur FC to continue their preparations for upcoming I-League season.
"I don't have any target (on amount of goals I wish to score) in these pre-season games. Once I get a chance, I will score. If I get one chance, I will score one. If I get two, I will score two. If I get three, I will score three. This is how football is. You just take your chances. These are just warm-up games. Basically, you want to see how fit you are and at what level you are. All these teams are top teams. So, you have to give good performances against them," he signs off.