Indian forward Manvir Singh believes that momentum will be key for India against Afghanistan

 

Manvir Singh has been a sensation for ATK Mohun Bagan in the last Indian Super League season. While he is still waiting to replicate that form for the Indian national team, he definitely is the main man to lead the line for the Blue Tigers.

The Punjabi forward spoke in an interview hosted by AIFF, mainly on Indian football, Sunil Chhetri, Roy Krishna and much more. Speaking about how he has matured as a striker over the years, Manvir said, ” A striker is all about the confidence and that only comes through the game time he gets. The more you get to play, the more mature you become. It’s all about your intuition, the movements inside the box, sniffing it, and eventually the finishing. I reiterate you can only get all of that when you get to play. Otherwise, your talent and determination will always be on the bench.”

The ATK Mohun Bagan forward explained how his game has improved when he has played with other top players like Sunil Chhetri in the national team and Roy Krishna at the club level in the ISL. He also shared his admiration for both the forwards claiming them to be his heroes.

“My job becomes easier when I play alongside top strikers. I just watch Sunil-bhai and try to imitate his calm in front of the goal. At the end of the day, that ice-cool head makes all the difference. That’s education for me. In a match a striker won’t get a million chances.

“There will be days when you will get just one chance, or maybe a half chance. If you are able to make it count, you have done your job. I also need to mention that I look up to Roy Krishna’s calm in front of the goal. They are my heroes,” he explained.

Despite being a proper no.9, Manviur has accepted several challenges in his career. One of the biggest challenges was playing as a winger in Antonio Habas’ system. But to everyone’s surprise, he flourished at the right channel and shared a great understanding with Roy Krishna and David Williams. The 25-year-old scored 6 goals and 3 assists earning many plaudits for his exceptional finishing.

“At the outset, I was an out and out striker. But a player needs to be flexible. Modern-day football is not just about sticking to one position and role. I have been playing on the wings – both on the right-wing and left-wing in recent times. I feel that has helped me understand the dynamics of a team’s attacking philosophy. It is a plus point for any player,” Manvir clarified.

Lastly, he shared how the match against Afghanistan will be a tough challenge for the Indian team and they would need to carry the momentum from the win against Bangladesh and good outing against Qatar.

“We need to sustain the momentum gathered in the match against Bangladesh and even in the 0-1 loss against Qatar. But everyone is aware that all of that is past. The match on 15th is a fresh canvas. We need to paint it the right manner. The coach has been constantly working with us. We need to pay him back,” he concluded.