ISL riches may beckon, but for footballer Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, playing in Europe trumps everything

He is the only Indian footballer currently plying his trade in Europe and is back to don national colours as India face Puerto Rico on Saturday in a friendly in Mumbai. The journey from Kolkata's East Bengal to Norwegian club Stabæk Fotball has been quite sensational for 24-year-old goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

He signed for the Norwegian club way back in 2014, but Sandhu only grabbed headlines when he became the first Indian to appear in a top-division European league game. But there was more to come. In June, he became the first Indian to play in the Europa League. However, his debut was cut short as he got injured and was ruled out for six weeks.

Return from injury

Sandhu is currently in India and is hopeful of playing against Puerto Rico on Saturday at the Andheri Sports Complex in Mumbai. The goalkeeper is optimistic about featuring in the game considering he just recovered from injury. “I got injured two months ago and I was recovering for about six weeks. But yes, after that, I have had the time to play. It is an uphill battle again because I lost my spot and I have to fight again to gain my spot and I will do that because I have done that before and I will not shy away from the challenge,” Sandhu told Scroll.in.

However, with Subrata Paul also in the reckoning, Sandhu knows he has to fight for a spot. But he praised the Arjuna Award winner, saying, “Every day is a learning process and I have been a part of the national team since 2010 and been training with Subrata bhai for such a long time now and there are things that I have learnt for him. The achievement he has got now, I think he deserves it and deserved it before also. He got it a bit late but still I am happy that it happened for him.”

On playing in Norway, Sandhu said it was a tough task initially since he had to compete with Sayouba Mande, the Ivory Coast footballer, who also plays for Stabæk. “It has been an uphill battle. When I went to Norway first, I wasn’t at that level. I had to make myself capable to be at that level and when I was ready I could challenge Monde. He says he has learnt a lot from me too. I think what I have learnt from him is to be more aggressive and offensive during the game,” said Sandhu.

'A dream come true'

Talking about European football, Sandhu stressed on its importance and how it helped him grow as a player. “I never thought I would be at this point right now. It was dream come true for me to play in Europe. I never thought I would get the opportunity to play in Europe or go to Europe. I am always proud of what I have done and very happy to represent India as well,” he said. “I have polished all my skills and I have grown as a player in all aspects mentally and physically which is very important for me”.

Asked about the difference between playing in India and Europe, Sandhu said, “I think the difference is the weather and atmosphere firstly. The players you train and play with [in Europe] are of better quality and that helps you raise your game. That is the only big difference right now. There is no difference in the intensity of the Indian players. It is just the atmosphere and the players we play with on the whole.”

With his contract expiring next year, Sandhu has his sights set on bigger things. “For me it is very important to challenge myself. Yes, I have been to Norway and my aim was to break into the first team there. I think, personally, I want to go at a higher level – try better clubs and better leagues and I will keep trying.”

Europe over ISL

Is the Indian Super League an option? “I still think Europe is a better choice to help me become a better player for India. My contract expires next year. Let’s see.” With the ISL taking place just after he heads back to Norway, Sandhu does not mind missing the Indian spectacle. “An Indian is playing in Europe, do you think it is not worth it?” he said, chuckling.

However, he is focused on the upcoming clash with Puerto Rico, which he feels is the right direction for Indian football. “India should play such teams because that is how we are going to build ourselves,” said the 6 feet 4 inches tall goalkeeper.

With the Indian team going through a transition period, Sandhu is optimistic about the future. “It is a pretty tricky situation right now because it is a transition period, but I think it is important for the national team to have that sort of transition because you need to look forward and have long term plans and that is what the coaching staff is doing. It is always good to see youngsters getting an opportunity to be a part of the national team. If my experience helps, then I am really happy to guide them,” said Sandhu.

With India coach Stephen Constantine headlining the changes, Sandhu backed him to do a good job. “Constantine Sir has done a good job till now. The leadership skills are really good. I think his coaching makes players mentality stronger, which is a good part because we need that.”

India’s Under-17 team is set to participate in the World Cup next year in India and Sandhu backed the team to do a brilliant job. “I think the boys are really good. They are way better than what I was or my team was when I was 17. It is really good to see the boys getting so much exposure because they have been getting good coaching and the mentality they have is so tough and good. It will make them better players in the future and Indian players need that kind of mentality to compete at a higher level,” he said.

Finally, has stardom struck yet? “It isn’t at that level right now, but I do feel good about myself. At least we have a player in Europe," pointed out Sandhu. "It is a very important factor to have someone from India to play outside because that is the only way for Indian football to grow. The more players train abroad, the better. I believe every single one of them can play abroad, especially from the U-17 squad. The younger the better.”