Rising star Singh seen as role model
Sarpreet Singh says he feels ‘‘proud and special’’ that he’s now seen as role model for South Asian footballers. But Bayern Munich insist that their decision to sign the New Zealand rising star was simply ‘‘a sporting one’’. Singh is the subject of a feature article on the BBC Sport website this week after continuing to impress with Germany’s biggest football club and a European superpower. His progress, which included a first-team debut as a late substitute against Werder Bremen in December, ‘‘provides inspiration and confirmation of the possibilities for aspiring South Asian footballers globally,’’ Baljit Rihal, founder of the Asian Football Awards, told the BBC. Yet Bayern’s academy manager, Jochen Sauer, said Singh was snapped up from the Wellington Phoenix because of his footballing ability. ‘‘We recognised with our scouting department that he’s a very talented football player,’’ Sauer told the BBC. ‘‘He has a good technique, can read a game and is used to ball possession football. ‘‘His progress is very good, better than we expected.’’ Singh has scored six goals and created seven assists in 19 games for the Munich club’s reserve side this season. ‘‘After three or four weeks training with the first team, he already had his debut and this is very positive.’’ Singh recognises his achievements could blaze a trail for South Asian and Kiwi footballers. ‘‘Hopefully, I can set a good platform for the players that follow me,’’ he said. ‘‘That’s kind of my goal – to be the best I can be, set a good example for the kids to come and encourage them to keep working hard so that one day it’ll be them. ‘‘Coming from New Zealand with an Indian background, it doesn’t happen too often,’’ he told BBC Sport. ‘‘When I play for the New Zealand national team, a lot of people say we are the underdogs. But for me, it is all mental. It just comes down to how much work you want to put in. ‘‘You couldn’t say that when I was playing in Wellington that I would now be at Bayern Munich, but here I am. Anything is possible.’’ ‘‘We need more like him, and fast,’’ Rihal said. ‘‘He can give all South Asian communities a sense of pride and belonging in an arena where I believe there is a disconnect.’’
‘‘Coming from New Zealand with an Indian background, it doesn’t happen too often.’’ Sarpreet Singh