CHENNAI: Gouramangi Singh knows getting a positive result in the upcoming 2014 World Cup qualifier against UAE would be an arduous task but the gritty defender is not willing to give up without a fight. Speaking to TNIE from Delhi, where the national camp is currently underway, the 26- year-old AIFF Player of the Year, said he takes inspiration from the Indian U-23 team’s performance against Iraq in 2004, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
“Although I reported two days late for the camp, everyone is working hard to achieve the desired result.
UAE are far ahead of us in the FIFA rankings but we need to believe in ourselves and even our coach (Armando Colaco) has told us to go into the match with a positive frame of mind. In 2004, we managed to pull off a draw against Iraq and I don’t see any reason why we cannot repeat that performance,” said Gourmangi.
Gouramangi, like all budding footballers in the country looked up to Bhaichung Bhutia, and fondly recollects his days at the Tata Football Academy (TFA). “I spent four years at TFA. I recently organised a three-day camp in my hometown Awang Sekmai where children were given kits. That is my own small way of giving back to the community.” Gouramangi rues the lack of sponsors in Manipur and feels it will take another four to five years for any club in the state to make a mark at the national level. When asked whether he would start his own football club, he said it would be premature to talk about setting up one as he is presently content playing football. Talking about his experience of attending the trials with the A-League team Melbourne Hearts, Gouramangi said he learnt a lot from his brief sojourn Down Under and picked up a lot of things while training with the team. “Footballers in Australia sign professional contracts at the age of 17 -18 and play in the A-League.
From there on, they move on to other leagues in Europe.” Gouramangi is now the mainstay of the Indian and Churchill defence but there was a time when he was struggling to find his feet in club football. He is grateful to Karim Bencherifa and Churchill Brothers for giving him a chance to prove his mettle. He reflects, “Before joining Churchill, I was not a regular in club football but Karim had faith in my abilities.” His sterling performances at the club level caught ex- India coach Bob Houghton’s eye and from that point he has been part of the national set-up . His defining moment came in the 2007 Nehru Cup, where he was a pillar in the defence and played a pivotal role in India’s triumph.
He was also part of the winning Indian team in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup and 2009 Nehru Cup.
Gouramangi is unfazed by the change of guard in the national team and is confident India’s new coach Armando Colaco will do a good job. He refuses to single out anyone as his favourite coach but says every coach from Islam Akhmedov to Bencherifa have played a key role in his development.