Quick Chat: We catch up with Magnificent Montovio and Super Soussi

Just the six goals this season for Robert Montovio who is currently Gibraltar’s joint top goalscorer. A fantastic effort from Robert leading into the short winter break. Can he pick up a few more in this weekends tough game against Cannon’s FC?

We’ve also got Super Steven Soussi who came back into the squad (and scored!) last week against Leo following the birth of his beautiful daughter Niah Anne Josephine Soussi. Congratulations from all of us behing the scenes at FC Olympique 13 to Steven and the family!

Robert, A fantastic hattrick from yourself against Leo, talk us through the goals, especially that third!
Montovio: “It is always nice for any striker to finish a game with a hat-trick, it means my job as a striker was done! The first goal was a great team goal which finished with me just having to push the ball onto the net after Duane Robba broke the offside trap and squared it to me. The second goal was more of a poachers goal where I just followed the ball wishing it could hit the bar and fell for me to push it in with my head (hahaha) luckily that’s what happened. The third goal was a beauty from start to end. Nearly all the team were involved again, finished with a cross from Duane Robba from the byline which I perfectly hit on the volley to the far post. A goal which Cristiano Ronald would have been proud of.. haha!”

It’s been quite a difficult start to the season but we seem to be coming into it now, do the boys have what it takes to push up the table?
Montovio: “I always knew it was never going to be easy. We have a completely new team and we have had to gel together which is not easy but I think we are on the right track. Again the division has improved drastically and every team will punish you if we are not 100% focused. The positive thing is that we have dropped points at the start and not at the crucial time of the season. We have time to recover which with 2 wins in a row I think we now believe in ourselves as a team and it will be difficult to see us dropping points again. We are serious challengers for the promotion race.”

Have the expectations changed? Goal targets still remain the same too? You must have a competition going with Steven to see who can score the most! 
Montovio: “Not at all. We still have the same expectations which is promotion, anything that’s not that will not be good enough. My goal targets I’ll keep to them which is 15-20 goals this season. I’m currently leading the top scorers chart with the help of my team obviously… hopefully I will reach my target. With Steven I don’t have any competition going on as long as the team wins. That’s is good enough so doesn’t matter who scored. It doesn’t worry me at all that he has found his scoring boots, he has never been a prolific goalscorer. What worries me is the photoshoots he will be having as to be honest, he is good looking! hahaha”

It’s Cannon’s next. They’ve won 4 and lost 2. Are you going into the match full of confidence after the last few wins?
Montovio: “Of course winning gives every team confidence. Like I said before I think we have now gelled as a team and if we play every game focused it will be very hard for any team to beat us. I think we will go in as favourites to win the game after our display vs Leo!!”

Steven, A welcome return for yourself with a goal, was it good to be back on the pitch.
Soussi: “Thank you very much! I’m delighted to be back on the playing field, watching from the stands was very frustrating for me. Grabbing a goal on your return is always a confidence booster for me individually.”

You’re also now a father to the beautiful little Niah, Congratulations!
Soussi: “My little baby girl can’t wait for her to be watching dad from the stands, one more for the fanbase.”

Talk us through your goal against Leo.
Soussi: “My goal was a great team build up which started from the defence, fed into the midfield with some nice quick short passes and good movement from the attacking players. Alan made a run down the right hand side, I came short, they fed Alan who was left by himself on goal and I followed into the penalty box where Alan squared the ball to me and a simple tap in to secure a 3-0 lead. Most of our goals this game (atleast 3) where because of some quick passing and diagonal balls with good movement up front which is a good thing to take from the game as a collective as we move onto the next few games with nothing but +3 points in mind.”

Planning to catch up with Rob?
Soussi: “You better believe it that I’m catching Rob. I’ve got my goal scoring boots on now… he doesn’t stand a chance now. ??‍♂️

You can catch Robert and Steven in action with the rest of the squad against Cannon’s on the 22nd November.