We are group of fighters, says Gurmeet Singh on Hyderabad FC's ISL win

The young goalkeeper also spoke on playing under Manolo Marquez, sharing dressing room with greats and more.

From trailing 1-0 until the 88th minute to winning it at the death, Hyderabad FC penned down a fairytale in the 2022 ISL Final. The Nizams handed Kerala Blasters their third ISL final defeat and became the champions of India. The jam-packed Fatorda Stadium witnessed a historical moment in Indian Football. While it was a heartbreak for the Blasters, it was a dream come true for the Nizams.

Manolo Marquez’s men completed their heist for the most prized asset in Indian Football. Hyderabad FC’s Gurmeet Singh was on the sidelines when his team pulled off the unthinkable. He had a picture-perfect view of everything that unfolded on the pitch and he described it to be a lifetime moment to be able to lift that trophy.

We recently caught up with the man himself in an exclusive interview. Here’s what he said:

Move to Hyderabad FC

After three years at NorthEast United, Gurmeet opted for a new challenge and signed for the Nizams. He opened up about his move to Hyderabad FC and said that the club’s philosophy of giving more opportunities to young players convinced him to sign for them. 

“The performance of Hyderabad FC in 2020-21 ISL Season was really inspiring regardless of the result. The entire team gave an outstanding performance during their second season in ISL.  The club gave opportunities to young players who were able to showcase their full potential. This is what convinced me to be a part of the project,” he asserted.

Influence of Manolo Marquez

The youngster was asked about how influential was the presence of Manolo Marquez in convincing him to sign for Hyderabad FC. He said, “Manolo Marquez is a great coach. It feels like I have gotten a lifetime opportunity to grow under his guidance. He is an amazing person and gives opportunities to young players to explore their talent.”

Playing under Marquez

Gurmeet Singh described it as a lifetime opportunity to be able to train under Manolo Marquez. He further spoke about his experience of playing under the Spaniard and said, “He is a very optimistic coach. He always encourages all of us to perform better and give our 100%. I am grateful to be playing under him and learning from him.”

A star-studded dressing room

Hyderabad FC’s success on the pitch is a result of their hard work behind the scenes. They managed to put together a young-looking team with some of the big names in the league. The keeper shared his feelings about sharing the dressing room with some of the ISL greats like Ogbeche, Juanan, and Laxmikant Kattimani.

He said, “All of them are experienced and top-class players. I got to learn a lot from them and I always look up to them and understand how they keep themselves focused & mentally strong in this hard time. I was lucky enough to get an opportunity to share the dressing room with them.

Run to the final

Hyderabad FC scripted a miraculous run to the ISL final with plenty of ups and downs. The 22-year-old described his side’s run to the final and said they believed in themselves despite all the ups and downs.

“We had a hard-working team and we believed in ourselves. We were very confident and stayed positive throughout the tournament. Our journey obviously had a lot of ups and downs because of the Covid situation in the end, but we made it to the finals and won it. I am happy and proud of the entire team,” he said.

Best advice from Manolo Marquez

Gurmeet Singh further spoke about the best advice his head coach has ever given him and said that Manolo Marquez encouraged him to give his best regardless of the result.

“Manolo is very optimistic and has always encouraged me to give my best. He always tells us to stay positive and keep working hard regardless of the result, which has always boosted our confidence. All he wants from us is to give our 100% every time we step on the field,” he answered.

Comeback moment

Singh narrated that particular moment when Hyderabad FC came back from behind to win their maiden ISL trophy. He said we were sure that we would turn this around because our team is made of a group of fighters. 

“There were many moments in the game where I am sure everyone would have thought we were losing! But we turned the results in our favour. We were confident and positive throughout the game. Our team is made of a group of fighters, we knew what we want to do and we did it,” he explained.

Feelings about becoming an ISL Champion

Gurmeet Singh told us about how he felt about achieving the most prized asset in Indian Football with Hyderabad FC in his first season. He said it was a dream come true moment for him and his teammates.

“It was a wonderful feeling and a dream come true moment, to be honest. Not everyone gets this opportunity. I feel lucky and proud to be a part of this team and hold the trophy closer to my heart, with my brothers,” he said with a bright smile on his face.

Message to fans

The keeper was in all praise for the wonderful fans of Hyderabad FC. He thanked them for their constant support throughout the league and dedicated the title to them.

“I would like to thank all the Hyderabad FC fans for all their support and belief that they had in our team. Their support was a constant motivation for us. They were always with us through the thick and thin and are undoubtedly a very important part of us. They also gave us a warm welcome on our return to Hyderabad after winning the title. This win is for them and Hyderabad,” he concluded.

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