Through his boyhood, to youth, and until 40 matches for JCT FC in the I-league, football for Baljit Singh Sahni was largely confined to Punjab. “It was the first time I properly stepped out (of Punjab) to play for a better team,” the Chennaiyin FC winger says of his signing with East Bengal in 2010.
Access to this high came with pressure he wasn’t attuned to; pressure that made him excited and wary at once.
Big opportunity“Any young player dreams of playing for big clubs. So, it was a big opportunity for me. Around seven or eight of us moved out of the State to play for different teams at that time. Even until then not many players from Punjab had gone out of the State to play for better teams. So, it was a big boost for me.
“I spoke to those few old players from the State who had played for East Bengal or Mohun Bagan before me and they spoke of the pressure I’ll experience from the team and the fans.
“They told me that I had to do well every time I played, irrespective of how well I had performed the last time. When I started playing, I realised that the expectations just keep getting higher. It was a different kind of challenge for me. But I adjusted to it pretty well.”
The call from East Bengal, and subsequently for the National team, in 2010, was prompted by his good showing in the 2008-09 I-league season.
He had scored six goals in seven games, suffered a bike accident, came back, and netted two more to earn the 2009 FPAI young player of the year award. He scored the first hat-trick of the season that followed, and sustained his form throughout.
“Six goals in seven games meant I was getting better with every game. The coaches trusted me better, and it prompted them to give me more chances.
“Also, to come back from injury and score goals boosted my confidence tremendously. It gave me belief that I can still play as well as I used to before the accident.”
The 29-year old played for Atletico de Kolkata in the first two ISL seasons. On what best he learns from the ISL, he says, “One of the best things that I learn from the marquee players is to how to remain fit. Those players are in the 30+ age category. But they are still fit. They can still maintain their standard. So, the lesson is that if we keep ourselves supremely fit, we can play for long.”
Conducive atmosphereIt’s become a trend for the ISL teams to train abroad pre-season. He reckons that it helps the players focus and prepare better.
“Training facilities are better there. And, the atmosphere is conducive. Nobody disturbs you. There is no attention on the team, and you can seriously concentrate on your diet, your training regimen.”
