Midfielder Wangjam wants to make home advantage count
NEWDELHI: India may be the underdogs in the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup but midfield lynchpin Suresh Singh Wangjam is confident that playing on the home soil would help them do well in the prestigious tournament.
India are drawn with the United, Colombia and Ghana in Group A and head coach Luis Norton de Matos has been saying all along that a knockout spot could be difficult for the home side if not impossible.
Asked about India’s chances in the Oct 6-28 tournament, Suresh said, “A football team never prepares to lose a match and we are preparing to win. It is our home ground and it is a big advantage.
“We are preparing well and we have had exposure tours and competitions abroad. So, we want to do our best. Let us see what we can do,” Suresh, who led the side in the AFC U-16 Championships and BRICS Cup in 2016, said.
The 17-year-old Suresh said he was looking forward to the opening match against USA at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Oct 6. “It is my first World Cup and I don’t know what will happen. But we want the day to come and wear the national jersey in a World Cup,” said the Manipuri, who is one of the most-capped players in the team.
Hailing from Imphal, Suresh represented Manipur in National Under-14 Championships in 2011. He was later called for a trial in Goa by the national selectors who were looking for talented boys for the U-17 World Cup.
“I went for a trial in Goa in 2013 and the selectors selected me to join the national camp at the AIFF Academy in June 2014. Since then, I have been in the AIFF Academy in Goa,” he said.
TOUGH TIME
Suresh, however, had a tough time during his childhood convincing his father about his passion for football. He was the only son among four children.
“My father is a small businessman and my mother is a housewife. When I was young, my father did not support me. He wanted me to be a government officer and he put me in a boarding school. He (his father) was a badminton player and he wanted me to play badminton but I said I will play football.
“Initially I went with my father to play badminton and I played one tournament also. But my mind was on football,” he said.
“I still remember when my boots were torn, I asked my father to buy me new shoes but he will not buy. I will collect money from my grandmother, uncle and other relatives to buy boots and football. My sisters helped me buying my football kit.”
Suresh said at times he had to lie to his father to play football.
His parents are, however, now happy that he is playing for the country. “My father and mother are happy now. They became supportive once I got selected. Today, they proudly tell our relatives and friends that their son is a part of the U-17 World Cup team.”