Suresh Singh Wangjam: Bengaluru FC fans don’t deserve what we're going through

The midfielder also elaborated how the now disbanded Indian Arrows project helped him in his career.

A member of India’s Under-17 World Cup squad, Suresh Singh Wangjam has gone from strength to strength since joining Bengaluru FC. Now an established member of the starting XI, Suresh has broken into the national team as well and is a reliable presence in the middle of the pitch for the Men in Blue. Recently, Khel Now spoke to Suresh, who opened up on his journey to the first team and his excitement for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.

Most memorable moment of his career?

For a player still aged 22, Suresh has already experienced some significant achievements like representing India at the 2017 FIFA World Cup, winning an emerging player award (AIFF), and scoring a goal for the national team en route to a SAFF trophy victory.

Suresh spoke on his transition, “My journey has been interesting because when a junior player comes to the senior team, the transition is not quite smooth as what I have been through. At the same time, I want to give credit to myself as I have worked hard for that.

He revealed his career's most memorable moment, "The most memorable moment was scoring in the SAFF finals, as from a young age, I have dreamt of playing for my national team. Playing alongside Chhetri Bhai, Sandesh Bhai, and Gurpreet Bhai and winning a trophy for the national team was a memorable day.”

An incident that made Suresh pick football as a career

Every sportsperson has that one key moment early in their lives that makes them pick a sport as a career. Suresh narrowed down on his and said, “I am from North-East India, where everyone plays sports. When I was young, I played a lot of sports like badminton, cricket, football, and many other sports. There is one club near my house which plays first division in Manipur. They used to train near my house and seeing them, I was attracted and decided to play football.”

Suresh’s idol

Youngsters always look up to someone, whom they worship or follow during their career. Suresh revealed about his idol, “I will go with Cristiano Ronaldo.”

What activities does Suresh enjoy off the pitch?

The Suresh on the pitch is full of activity - making interceptions, passes, and tackles and popping up with the occasional goal. Off the pitch, Suresh spoke of his transformation since joining the Blues, “Once I joined BFC, I have totally changed off the pitch. I used to learn a lot from the senior players and staff. Now off the pitch, I love reading books and watching documentaries which help with my life and that is how I spend my free time.”

Journey with Bengaluru FC

Suresh has been a part of Bengaluru FC for three years and has exceeded half a century of appearances. He recalled his initial days as a BFC player and said, “Time flies. I remember when I came here for the first time, I was fighting for my place not in starting XI but in the 18. Now in a matchday squad, you can name 20 players, but it was 18 players when I first came. I was fighting for my place in the 18 and now I have played more than 50 games for the club and it feels amazing. It was a dream. Sometimes I face a lot of struggles, but I really have enjoyed my journey.”

Goals for the National Team

Suresh has made 15 appearances for the national team and helped India to an eighth SAFF Championship last year. He was excited about the 2023 AFC Asian Cup and said, “For me, it (SAFF) was my first trophy with the national team. Personally, most of the players will be thinking about the Asian Cup which will be played in 2023. We are looking forward to those matches.”

Biggest takeaways from training with senior players

Suresh’s assimilation into the first team squad was made easy due to the presence of experienced heads Sunil Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. He spoke on what inspires him, “The hard work and dedication they put has inspired me. They earnt fame but even today if you see Chhetri Bhai on the training pitch, he works very very hard and that is the thing I really admire.”

Role of Indian Arrows in Suresh’s development

The now-disbanded Indian Arrows project was a key instrument in helping the U-17 World Cup graduates get regular first-team football in the I League.

Suresh spoke highly on the project’s role and said, “It is very big and full credit goes to the AIFF for giving us that opportunity. I still remember before the World Cup, they gave us a lot of exposure to develop ourselves. We went abroad and played with some good teams. After the World Cup, they put us in Indian Arrows where we got competitive matches in a year - around 20 games. That helps us become better players.”

The West Block Blues and their never-ending support

Suresh is a fan favourite here in Bengaluru. ‘Suresha Suresha’ is a chant the whole of the Kanteerava breaks into in full volume. The 2022-23 season has not gone to plan so far for BFC. They sit ninth and have won only one game out of five.

Suresh spoke on the fans’ role in turning things around, “To be honest, the fans have been with us through thick and thin. The fans like them don’t deserve what we are going through. But they are behind us. After the game against East Bengal when I made a big mistake, they messaged me and tried to encourage me. When I have the full support of my fans, of my teammates, of my coaching and management staff, I think I can get back to what I am capable of.”

Best South Indian dish Suresh has tried

India is a diversified land. The food relished in the northern part might not be the taste in the southern regions. Suresh revealed about the best South Indian dish he has tasted, “I have not tried a lot, but I like Ghee Masala Dosa.”