Best ISL player Sandesh aims to start 2nd season on better note

Deepankar Sharda

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 4

On January 31, 2012, when Sandesh Jhingan interacted with The Tribune team for the first time, he wished to become a successful football player. Over three years later, when he was chosen as the best Indian player award in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2014, he still aims the same.

Three years of professional journey and this Chandigarh lad has become a heartthrob of the Indian football.

On September 27 this year, Sandesh, known as Sandy in local circuit, was honoured with the award during an event hosted by the Footballer Players’ Association of India (FPAI) in Kolkata. He plays for the Kerala Blasters in the championship and was voted as the best emerging player of the 2014 league.

“These three years have changed my perspective, but I still aim to be the best footballer in my nation. While playing in streets during my childhood days, I used to carry photographs of my favourite players and wanted to become like them. I still have miles to go before finally hanging up my boots with a satisfaction that I achieved what I had dreamt for, always,” stated Sandy, who is off to join his ISL franchisee for the upcoming season of the league that began yesterday.

He is expected to feature in the Kerala Blasters’ playing line-up against the North East United FC on October 6.

“I will not repeat my past performance in the league. I will surely be giving my best this time, better than the last,” added Sandy.

The 22-year old defender from the city started his early days without proper coaching at the football stadium of Sector 17. After playing some local tournaments, he was finally picked by a former international player-cum-coach Tejinder Kumar Sharma to represent the city in the Dr BC Roy Trophy (U-19). In the same event, the city team won the title for the first time and following Sandy’s performance in the championship, he was called to attend a junior Indian team camp. However, his journey remained full of ups and downs after he faced a serious knee injury. With the passage of time and motivation of some senior players, he overpowered the ‘obstacle’ and started a new chapter of life on a positive note.