Manjit 8212; EB8217;s loss Mahindras8217; gain

The Manjit of the 90s, a striker with excellent conversion rate and speed, will never forget the golden goal he scored in the Durand Cup final last year at New Delhi that made him the toast of Mahindras as well as Mumbai. The Durand Cup came to Mumbai for the first time in 110 years.

The Sikh striker, who moved to Mahindras last season from East Bengal, was the top scorer with seven goals in the Western Indian Football Association WIFA Super Division League where Mahindras finished second and scored an equal number in the first leg of the ongoing National Football League. Mahindras failed narrowly toqualify for the last six stage.

Despite being ignored by the national selectors for the Bangkok Asian Games camp, the 23-year-old Manjit does not want to let that overshadow the pleasant moments. Like the Durand Cup.

The rancour, after being asked to sit on the East Bengal bench most of last season, was the main force behind Manjit8217;s neat placement that silenced East Bengal supporters in the Durand final.

The soft-spoken Manjit recalls his best footballing moment: 8220;Shamshi Raza8217;s shot was blocked by East Bengal 8216;keeper Kalyan Choubey and I saw the ball roll towards me. I tapped the rebound to the right of Choubey. And equally important were my four goals against Indian Telephone Industries ITI early this month at Cooperage which helped our team to regain its lost confidence.8221;

Manjit, after passing out from the Wilson Megiuar Football Academy, Guwahati, joined Calcutta giant East Bengal. He failed to grab the limelight from the likes of Bhaichung Bhutia, Carlton Chapman, Bijen Singh, Renedy Singh,Satyajit Chatterjee and K Sarvanan.

8220;I was tired of being among substitutes all the time. I just wanted to play,8221; added Manjit. But the club officials ignored him for two seasons, playing him only as substitute in the last moments of the game.

8220;But today, they must have changed their minds and also the national selectors. My actions and role suggests that I can no longer be ignored,8221; noted Manjit.

Since then, the goal-hungry striker has become Mahindras coach Syed Shahid Hakim8217;s favourite.

8220;He is maturing into a dangerous striker and doesn8217;t lose cool at the goal mouth. Temperament is his asset,8221; says Hakim, 8220;Speed and swift movement his forte.8221;

Mohun Bagan coach PK Banerjee said: 8220;Manjit is a skillful and talented lad with a nose for goals. His left-foot is especially sharp.8221;

Manjit could have made his international debut, just after his brilliant performance in Durand Cup, in the Independence Gold Cup at Columbo. But the Sikh, sporting cropped hair, did not have his passport ready andhad to come back from Kochi.

Following his stint at Wilson Academy, he had offers from all three Calcutta giants 8212; Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting.

He chose the yellow-red brigade.

Manoranjan Bhattacharya, the East Bengal coach said: 8220;Manjit can go a long way if he trains seriously. I can see he has learnt a lot. But he must get serious if he has to progress. His ability to dribble and shoot is very impressive.8221;

Manjit is in favour of the National Football League movement but doesn8217;t like the idea of recruiting foreigners. 8220;Go to small towns and see the abundant talent there,8221; Manjit said. 8220;But good players like Operanzie Bernard Mahindras do teach you a lot,8221; he pointed out.