Singh learning from best in the business
Sarpreet Singh is living his best life.
For the past four months, the 20-year-old from Auckland has been training alongside some of the biggest names at one of the biggest clubs in football, after securing a dream move to German giants Bayern Munich.
Thrown into the deep end, Singh played six games in preseason, making his club debut against Arsenal at the International Champions Cup, but is yet to feature in the Bundesliga.
‘‘If you’re in the second team of Bayern you want to push up and try and get an opportunity with the first team. But in order to do that it’s not easy,’’ Singh told .
‘‘They’re one of the world’s best teams so you have to be consistent every single day and be the best player you can be. If you’re doing that then I think opportunities will come for sure. But it’s easier said than done.’’
Singh landed his big breakthrough when he was invited to join the Wellington Phoenix Football Academy after catching the eye playing for Onehunga Sports.
It did not take long for him to break into the A-League squad. He made his Phoenix debut in a 5-1 loss to Melbourne City during the 2016-17 season, and went on to make a further 11 appearances the following campaign.
Singh said the move away from his family at such a young age helped prepare him for the move to Munich when Bayern came calling in June.
‘‘Obviously moving all the way across to the other side of the world is never going to be easy but I prepared myself for this and I knew I wanted this. When I was in Wellington I was still away from family, it just wasn’t so far away,’’ he said.
‘‘But I think that really helped me, you know just learning to live on my own and doing these things. At the end of the day my goal is to be in Europe and play at the highest level so I knew this is what I have to do. I understand that as a football player you have to make sacrifices, and I’ve made a lot of sacrifices to be here and so has my family.’’
It was at the Fifa Under-20 World Cup where he caught the eye of Bayern’s scouts and he made the move to Munich shortly after returning to New Zealand.
‘‘Every time you play a game you never know who is watching, and that is what happened with me and I’m very grateful for this opportunity, but it is just an opportunity. It’s up to me now to take it,’’ he said.
‘‘It’s all good being at Bayern but you don’t just want to be here, you want to excel and do well and get better every single day.
‘‘Everyone has made a lot of sacrifices for me over the years so it’s important for me to ask; have I done everything possible today to be the best football player I can be? Before I go to sleep, have I done everything I should have to be a better player tomorrow?’’
Although he signed his threeyear deal with Bayern’s reserve team, known as Bayern Munich II, much to everybody’s surprise Singh was invited on the club’s pre-season tour to the United States in July. He made his debut against Arsenal before lining up against AC Milan and Real Madrid, and featured again against Fenerbahce and Tottenham Hotspur when Bayern returned to Germany for the Audi Cup.
‘‘I was so excited,’’ he said of his debut against Arsenal. ‘‘In the first half I watched all the superstars play and I just made sure I was as prepared as possible. I worked hard myself so I believe in myself to be able to compete with these guys. When I come on I make sure I do my best for the team. To be able to do that you have to make sure you’re prepared.
‘‘But it was an exciting time for me, to get a taste of what it’s like. I loved every single moment of it. It’s what you dream of as a kid – playing in the biggest leagues against the best teams in the world.’’
Singh said the first team stars like Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski, whose multimillion-dollar contracts dwarf those of the All Blacks, have welcomed him into the club with open arms and are always willing to offer advice.
‘‘Of course I was a little bit nervous and scared but they’re normal people at the end of the day who work hard to be where they are. I’ve had some good conversations with a lot of the players now and I’m very comfortable around them,’’ he said.
‘‘I watch these guys train and their habits and behaviours on and off the field. Robert Lewandowski and these guys, I’m learning every time I get to train with them in order to make myself a better player. They’ve done this for 10 years and they know what it takes, so whenever I can gather advice I do.’’
Although 3.Liga is a slight step down from the A-League, Singh has enjoyed the opportunity to play competitive matches every week. Seeing as Bayern’s reserve team is full of potential stars of tomorrow, he said the games are always challenging because opposition teams specifically target the younger players. They are in eighth place through 11 games, having registered five wins and two draws.
Singh has already notched his first goal for the reserves, lacing a sublime left-footed volley against Unterhaching, which certainly helps as he looks to stake a claim for further first team opportunities.
‘‘I’ve made a lot of sacrifices to be here and so has my family.’’