Minerva Punjab coach Khogen Singh's pre s conference in Panchkula, immediately after becomingthe I-League champions, was repeatedly interrupted DeAndre Carter Jerseys bycelebratory drum beats. Amidst all thebrouhaha, one name was heard loud and clear.
"Sukhi (Sukhdev Singh) is the backbone of our team. He has been consistent throughout the league," said Singh, when questioned about the most steady performer for Minerva. The 26-year old defender from Hoshiarpur built a formidable partnership at the heart of defence along with Ivorian Eric Dano, conceding only 16 times in 18 matches, just three more than Mohun Bagan who tops the list of least goals scored against.
With both wing backs surging forward often, Sukhdev showed excellent positioning to shore up the defence and cut down spaces. The sturdy defender with adominating physiquelikes to stick tight to strikers. Casey Toohill Jerseys Although he makes at least nine tackles a game,he is precise and disciplined with his challenges as he has committed only 10 fouls in his 18 appearances. His long throw-ins into the six-yard boxbecame another potent set-piece weaponin Minerva's armoury.
Kamalpreet Singh, the young right back of AIFF Elite Academy, has been another revelation for Minerva Punjab. The 20-year old wing back from Ludhiana has pace to burn on the flanks and is never afraid to go on the over-lap. A sured by the triumvirate of Sukhdev-Dano-Aidara, he was allowed the freedom to bomb forward at every opportunity, adding another dimension to Minerva's attacks.
Whenever Minerva had po se sion, Kamalpreet would be seen in advanced positions, unlike an Ryan Kerrigan Jerseys orthodox right-back.His inch-perfect cro ses targeting Chencho Gyeltshen inside the box were a common yet lethal attacking facetfor Minerva. it must be noted that he has suffered more fouls (13/8) than he has committed speaks volume about hisattacking instincts. He has already donned the U-16 and U-19 national jersey and his next target must be to break into the U-23 national team.
The 26-year-old Abhishek Ambekarfrom Mumbaiwas part of the Air India and Mumbai FC squads in the past.
His partnership with Chencho on the left has beenbrilliant. When the Bhutanese winger cuts inside from the Landon Collins Jerseys left, Ambekar takes upa wide left position up the field which helped Minerva stretch the opposition. He has provided three a sists, the most by a defender in this season of the I-League. Once again, like Kamalpreet he has suffered more tackles than committed which explains that Minerva's wingbacks have contibutedto their attacking gameplay.
Players like Akash Sangwan Chris Cooley Jerseys , Gagandeep Bali and Moinuddin Khan have also made vital contributions to theteam. While Sangwan and Khan have chipped in with crucial goals in important fixtures, Gagandeep hasbeen awork horse for Minerva, having been deployed in various positions in attack and defence. His physical stature has helped Minerva whiledefending numerous set-pieces as his aerial prowe s has come to the fore.
The 27-year-old was never shy of dropping back when Minerva lost po se sion and helped his skipper Ka Sean Taylor Jerseys sim Aidara in mopping up the loose balls in midfield.
Head coach Khogen Singhwas insisting on team work after Minerva won the league and said, "There are no Africans or Indians aswe perform as a team."
It will be unfair to pa s on all the laurels to the overseas players like Chencho, Aidara, Dano and William Opuku, as although they have been the principal architects of Minerva's succe s, Khogen's concept of a team would have fallen flat on its face without the equally brilliant performances of the Indian players.
