CONRATULATIONS! GOURAMANGI

As a  fan it always feels good when the players you like perform well and for the efforts they put in get recognized with awards and honors. Gouramangi Singh has been one of my favorite players and I have always admired his brand of football and it’s a nice feeling to note that AIFF has chosen him as the player of the year for 2010.

Gouramangi is now an integral part of the National team but things were not very bright for him to start with. After graduating from the prestigious Tata Football Academy he struggled to find his footing in Indian Football. He changed many clubs from Mohun Bagan to Dempo SC but still found it hard to break into the first eleven. But he never gave up and kept fighting believing in his ability until he joined Churchill Brothers in 2006 and we can all see where he has reached today. An example for all those young north-eastern footballers who want things to happen overnight and don’t have too much patience.

This award has proved that Gouramangi is the best stopper back in the country at the moment. A player who has excellent positional sense and game reading which helps him to win the balls even without making any tackles sometimes. I remember Mr Raghumani Singh (Father of Renedy Singh) showing me his house in Sekmai near Imphal and Gouramangi has really come a long way from the outskirts of Imphal to the highest level of Indian Football and he still has lot to achieve.

It was a pleasure for me to meet Gouramangi in Gangtok when he was there for the Bhaichung Bhutia Padmashree Felicitation match in 2008.He was sitting at the Substitute bench when I moved in to shake his hands. He addressed me as brother and we had a brief interaction where we talked about his coach at Churchill Brothers Mr Karim Bencherifa.Then again I met him after one the I-league games here in Kolkata.

I hope and pray he keeps on playing well and achieves even more in the near future. One of his aim is to play abroad and he has already tried once in Australia but did not succeed but I am sure he won’t give up and will keep on it. All the best “Brother” for everything in life and football.