To cement his place as Stabaek's first-choice keeper, Gurpreet faces the daunting challenge of displacing Sayouba Mande, the Ivory Coast world cupper. However, the possibility of that happening cannot be ruled out especially in the case of a man who has risen from Mohali's Ajitgarh to the dizzy heights of European football. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu could be the next big thing in Indian football. In an exclusive chat with Dattaraj Thaly of Zee Media , he narrated his story. Tell us a bit about how your move to Stabaek FC happened. The move to Stabaek happened when my coach Mr. John Burridge had contacted the goalkeeping coach of Stabaek Mr. Espen Granli to have a look at me. John had earlier sent Ali Al Habsi of Oman to Granli in Norway before the goalkeeper played in the Premier League. I got here on a trial basis and trained with the first team. After a month, the club was happy with my development and offered me a contract but I couldn’t sign it until the transfer window in Norway opened in August. How has the transition been from the Indian domestic league to the top-flight of Norwegian football? It is a huge jump for me from the standard of football in India to that of Norway. The level over here is much higher than that of the Indian domestic leagues. Day by day, I’m adapting to the European level of football, which is also helping me to become a better player. What is the major difference between the I-League and the Norwegian Tippeligaen? There is a big difference between the two. The pitches for training and matches are perfect and all the basic needs of a player are taken care of with all facilities being provided here. Whereas in India, we are still on our way to such developments. How differently do you train at Stabaek FC as compared to East Bengal? I think the level of intensity and the amount of detail in training over here was hard to find in my East Bengal days. The coaching is better and we are pushed to the limits every single day. What was your assessment of the inaugural edition of the Indian Super League? And why weren’t you a part of it? I think the ISL has got a great response not only from India but from all over the globe and it is a very good initiative to promote the game in our country. I wasn’t a part of it because I had signed for Stabaek and I was part of the first team for the Tippeligaen that finished in November. Do you believe the ISL will help boost the game at grassroots in the long run? Yes, I think in the long run it will benefit Indian football by improving the game at the grassroot level. Can the ISL and I-League co-exist? All I know is that there can only be one national league in a country and the experts have to decide what to do because, year by year, it will become difficult for the players to give their 100 percent as they will be playing the ISL, I-League and the Federation Cup. How have you improved as a goalkeeper since the past year? I would like to think that I have improved as a goalkeeper since last year and I have been in better shape after coming here. I have become mentally and physically stronger and this is the most important addition to my game. How are you dealing with the biting cold in Norway and is there a language barrier in communicating with players of other nationalities? I like winters and I’m adapting to the snow day by day. I always used to dream about playing in snow and it's a dream come true for me so couldn’t ask for more. Language is not a problem as everyone speaks good English here and we have good understanding. What can Indian football learn from Norway? I think, we can learn how to run a club in a professional way and how to nurture young talents in the country and help them become better and helpful for the national team. Now that Indian clubs like Bengaluru FC and Pune FC are being professionally run with some of the best facilities in Indian football, do you wish to return home? Yes, it's good to see the clubs have started to realize the importance of running the club in a professional manner and I would love to go to a place where I can become a better player and raise my game. Frankly, I see that in Europe for now but surely I would love to come back to India in the future. After packed crowds at stadiums during ISL, the I- League has opened to very poor crowds. What changes would you like to see in Indian football in the coming years? It was amazing to see the crowd support for their respective teams in the ISL. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been the case in the I-League and that shows how much difference there was between the two. Promoting a team and making the team attractive so that people come and watch should become a priority for the clubs, and in the coming years, I would like to see many players plying their trade outside India so that the football in our country could develop. What are your immediate and long-term goals ? My immediate goal is to keep the consistent level of performance so that I keep getting the chance of playing and proving myself. I would also like to take a step higher to test my limits maybe and play in a bigger league hopefully in the long run. Any message for the fans back home? I have always tried to work hard and develop myself to become a better player and person. As I believe, the only thing I have in my hand is to push myself to the limit and that’s what I did in India and I’m trying to do it here as well. It's a privilege to represent India in European football. Follow @grinder_goa First Published: Friday, January 23, 2015 - 22:20
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Gurpreet faces the daunting challenge of displacing
Sayouba Mande, the Ivory Coast world cupper.
However, the possibility of that happening cannot be
ruled out especially in the case of a man who has risen
from Mohali's Ajitgarh to the dizzy heights of European
football.
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu could be the next big thing in
Indian football. In an exclusive chat with Dattaraj Thaly
of Zee Media , he narrated his story.
Tell us a bit about how your move to Stabaek FC
happened.
The move to Stabaek happened when my coach Mr.
John Burridge had contacted the goalkeeping coach of
Stabaek Mr. Espen Granli to have a look at me. John
had earlier sent Ali Al Habsi of Oman to Granli in
Norway before the goalkeeper played in the Premier
League.
I got here on a trial basis and trained with the first
team. After a month, the club was happy with my
development and offered me a contract but I couldn’t
sign it until the transfer window in Norway opened in
August.
How has the transition been from the Indian domestic
league to the top-flight of Norwegian football?
It is a huge jump for me from the standard of football in
India to that of Norway. The level over here is much
higher than that of the Indian domestic leagues. Day by
day, I’m adapting to the European level of football,
which is also helping me to become a better player.
What is the major difference between the I-League and
the Norwegian Tippeligaen?
There is a big difference between the two. The pitches
for training and matches are perfect and all the basic
needs of a player are taken care of with all facilities
being provided here. Whereas in India, we are still on
our way to such developments.
How differently do you train at Stabaek FC as
compared to East Bengal?
I think the level of intensity and the amount of detail in
training over here was hard to find in my East Bengal
days. The coaching is better and we are pushed to the
limits every single day.
What was your assessment of the inaugural edition of
the Indian Super League? And why weren’t you a part of
it?
I think the ISL has got a great response not only from
India but from all over the globe and it is a very good
initiative to promote the game in our country. I wasn’t a
part of it because I had signed for Stabaek and I was
part of the first team for the Tippeligaen that finished in
November.
Do you believe the ISL will help boost the game at
grassroots in the long run?
Yes, I think in the long run it will benefit Indian football
by improving the game at the grassroot level.
Can the ISL and I-League co-exist?
All I know is that there can only be one national league
in a country and the experts have to decide what to do
because, year by year, it will become difficult for the
players to give their 100 percent as they will be playing
the ISL, I-League and the Federation Cup.
How have you improved as a goalkeeper since the past
year?
I would like to think that I have improved as a
goalkeeper since last year and I have been in better
shape after coming here. I have become mentally and
physically stronger and this is the most important
addition to my game.
How are you dealing with the biting cold in Norway and
is there a language barrier in communicating with
players of other nationalities?
I like winters and I’m adapting to the snow day by day.
I always used to dream about playing in snow and it's a
dream come true for me so couldn’t ask for more.
Language is not a problem as everyone speaks good
English here and we have good understanding.
What can Indian football learn from Norway?
I think, we can learn how to run a club in a professional
way and how to nurture young talents in the country
and help them become better and helpful for the
national team.
Now that Indian clubs like Bengaluru FC and Pune FC
are being professionally run with some of the best
facilities in Indian football, do you wish to return
home?
Yes, it's good to see the clubs have started to realize
the importance of running the club in a professional
manner and I would love to go to a place where I can
become a better player and raise my game. Frankly, I
see that in Europe for now but surely I would love to
come back to India in the future.
After packed crowds at stadiums during ISL, the I-
League has opened to very poor crowds. What changes
would you like to see in Indian football in the coming
years?
It was amazing to see the crowd support for their
respective teams in the ISL. Unfortunately, it hasn’t
been the case in the I-League and that shows how
much difference there was between the two. Promoting
a team and making the team attractive so that people
come and watch should become a priority for the clubs,
and in the coming years, I would like to see many
players plying their trade outside India so that the
football in our country could develop.
What are your immediate and long-term goals ?
My immediate goal is to keep the consistent level of
performance so that I keep getting the chance of playing
and proving myself. I would also like to take a step
higher to test my limits maybe and play in a bigger
league hopefully in the long run.
Any message for the fans back home?
I have always tried to work hard and develop myself to
become a better player and person. As I believe, the
only thing I have in my hand is to push myself to the
limit and that’s what I did in India and I’m trying to do
it here as well. It's a privilege to represent India in
European football.
Follow @grinder_goa
First Published: Friday, January 23, 2015 - 22:20