Chandigarh’s mid-fielder on comeback trail

“Of course I would have loved to become a part of the Indian Under-22 team. Opportunity doesn’t knock on the door everyday,” shared the player,wearing a black tee that seemed to camouflage the pain he was feeling inside.

Opportunity,in a sport like football where talent is in abundance but an opening rather rare,is the keyword in his life. Sehnaj,in some way,is both the creater and catalyst for his team. These traits took him places right after playing a key role in helping Chandigarh win their most coveted title as yet: Dr BC Roy Trophy for Under-19 football tournament,that came at Kolkata,the heart of Indian football. He spent two years at Pailan Arrows,gradually adapting himself to the physical demanding I-League tournament.

At the fag end of the season,Sehnaj,18,a reliable midfielder,overcome by fatigue,stress and the other physical atrocities of the game,broke down and suffered a groin injury. The tear in Sehnaj’s groin is,apparently,partial. He is a talented and willing young player,with the world at his feet,provided he can stay fit and enthusiastic. “He was one of the key players when Chandigarh was gradually making its presence felt on the football map in India,” asserted Harjinder Singh,chief coach at the Chandigarh Football Academy.

Star struck

AT the academies,the coach loves players who never give up,and he loves telling the world how marvelously talented his players are. Sehnaj came to CFA,and was seen as a prospect who might one day take his game to another level and play for the Indian national team. He had the talent that big clubs covet,and trained at a very young age,came through as one of the best youth players in the business.

Over the years,Sehnaj matured into a fine player and like the growing stature of Chandigarh football at the national level,Sehnaj also caught the imagination of the national selectors. In the summers of 2011,Pailan Arrows signed him and the rookie made his debut against East Bengal in December 2011 in the I-League. A further impetus to his career came in the form of international career at the under-19 level when he played for the Indian U-19 team against Turkmenistan in the AFC U-19 Cup qualifiers.

“Playing in the I-League has made me a better player. Playing against foreign players and those whom you had worshiped not only makes you play better,but also boosts your confidence. I cherish all the moments that I spent with senior players of the Indian team,” added Sehnaj.

While the injury kept him away from the training sessions with the Indian Under-22 team,Sehnaj certainly has enough memories to share with his team mates from the Under-19 days. “I fondly remember the Weifang Cup that was held in China in 2011. Colin Toal was our coach and we did well to reach the semis of that tournament. We got a chance to play against Benfica,Australia’s FC Adelaide and Shandong Luneng,” Sehnaj rolled on.”I am looking forward to train with Arthur Papas,the Under-22 coach. He is young and I am sure he will give all of us a chance to show our skills. I have started practising now and hopefully I will be back to full fitness before the new season begins,” he said.