At 17,this goalkeeper has his hands full

Now,standing tall at 6 feet 4 inches,Gurpreet can more than literally look down upon his friends. On December 2,he signed a two-and-half-year contract with East Bengal,one of the oldest and biggest football clubs in India.

“I was in Delhi when I met their officials. After taking trials,they told me I have passed the test and offered me the contract,” Gurpreet the goalkeeper said.

Gurpreet had offers from the reigning I-league champions,Churchill Brothers and Salgaocar SC. But he chose East Bengal.

“I know Churchill pays well. But only East Bengal have a goalkeeper coach,and that was one of the main reasons why I chose it,” Gurpreet,the first goalkeeper from Punjab to be signed by East Bengal,said.

By signing the contract,Gurpreet has become the third and youngest footballer from the tricity to play in a professional club. Gurpreet Singh ‘Preeti’ (East Bengal,Salgaocar SC) and Sanjiv Maria (Mohun Bagan,Salgaocar SC) are the other two.

Success would have tasted sweeter had Gurpreet made it to the final 20 players of the Under-23 Indian team,which would play in the SAFF Championship in Bangladesh.

But he is not complaining: “That coach Bob Houghton invited me for the camp is reason enough for me to be happy. Besides,I picked up a few goalkeeping tips from my idol and national goalkeeper Subrata Paul during the camp.”

“But I know I will play in the national team,” Gurpreet,a student of SD Public School,Sector 32,says.

For now,his eyes are set upon the league matches in Kolkata from December 7,where he will join his club. And he’s packed his bags.