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Mehraj Revelling In New Role
The Indian team is in Barcelona to prepare for the Nehru Cup and one player who is thoroughly excited about it is Mehrajuddin Wadoo, who is revelling in his role...
10-Jul-2009 9:48:22 AM
The Kashmiri
started his playing career as a defender, then graduated as a central
midfielder and is now back to where it all started.
“I started my career as a defender but then one coach in Mohun Bagan told me that I would be able to play better in midfield so I was pushed up in midfield and did well there.,” said Wadoo.
The Indian international scored the winner in the SAFF Cup victory over Pakistan in 2005 as a midfielder and since then, he was always employed in the middle of the park. At Mohun Bagan, he did excel in his defensive duties but was often shuffled between the two positions. It was only thanks to the injuries to several defenders at East Bengal did the then coach Stanley Rosario used him as a central defender.
After the 1-0 defeat at the hands of Dempo in the first phase of the I-League, coach Bob Houghton personally entered the East Bengal dressing room and praised Mehraj for his performance as a defender.
“This is the first time that I am playing as a defender in the national team,” informed Mehraj.
‘The Shalimar’ was impressed with the facilities in the Middle Eastern country where the team had practiced for more than 10 days.
“Facilities in Dubai were good much, much, much better than that in India. The field we were training in Dubai was good.”
Meanwhile, Sunil Chhetri hasn’t been in the best of health as Mehraj added with he is “likely to get fit soon.” Surkumar Singh too is suffering from, what Mehraj described, as a “minor ankle problem.”
Rahul Bali.
“I started my career as a defender but then one coach in Mohun Bagan told me that I would be able to play better in midfield so I was pushed up in midfield and did well there.,” said Wadoo.
The Indian international scored the winner in the SAFF Cup victory over Pakistan in 2005 as a midfielder and since then, he was always employed in the middle of the park. At Mohun Bagan, he did excel in his defensive duties but was often shuffled between the two positions. It was only thanks to the injuries to several defenders at East Bengal did the then coach Stanley Rosario used him as a central defender.
After the 1-0 defeat at the hands of Dempo in the first phase of the I-League, coach Bob Houghton personally entered the East Bengal dressing room and praised Mehraj for his performance as a defender.
“This is the first time that I am playing as a defender in the national team,” informed Mehraj.
‘The Shalimar’ was impressed with the facilities in the Middle Eastern country where the team had practiced for more than 10 days.
“Facilities in Dubai were good much, much, much better than that in India. The field we were training in Dubai was good.”
Meanwhile, Sunil Chhetri hasn’t been in the best of health as Mehraj added with he is “likely to get fit soon.” Surkumar Singh too is suffering from, what Mehraj described, as a “minor ankle problem.”
Rahul Bali.
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