'Communication between players needs to improve'

 Fresh on the back of a four-month stint with League Two side, Oxford United FC, Udanta Singh is all set to showcase his skills in the I-League as he turns out for Bengaluru FC in the forthcoming season.

Udanta and Shankar Sampingiraj, who trained with Unione Sportiva Cremonese in Italy, were two players from the Bengaluru side who had training stints abroad.

While Bengaluru FC’s achievements have been admirable over the last two seasons, Udanta spoke of the difference in experiences, about the attitude of players, England and said that was something that could raise the standards of the game in India.

“It (training stint) was a great exposure that taught me a lot on and off the pitch. But the most prominent aspect was the attitude of the players. They are aggressive when they are on the pitch. There are no friends on the football field,” said the 19-year-old.

“Communication on the ground is a very important aspect that is lacking in football in our country. Only when you go abroad do you see what role it plays. In England, the players are constantly communicating with each other and distributing the workload. Indian football can grow leaps and bounds if we can inject this into Indian football,” opined Udanta.

Raring to go

With the next edition of the I-League which is likely to start on January 9, Udanta is excited about the opportunity to repay Bengaluru FC coach Ashley Westwood, the man responsible for his training stint, while throwing light on the position he preferred playing in.

“My game time was restricted to just four matches last season so I couldn’t really prove myself. This time around, I’m fit and raring to go. In addition, thanks to the coach (Westwood) I have received some invaluable exposure and want to use it to the optimum.

“Of course I always prefer playing as a striker but I have been expected to play on the right wing due to my speed. I haven’t played on the wings much but I am slowly adapting to it and feel comfortable now,” added the attacker.

The fight for a starting XI spot is expected to ensue through the season as Bengaluru have bolstered their squad with a host of players but Udanta believes that as long as he stays fit and works hard, he can get good game time.

“For anyone to feature in the starting XI, hard work is of essence and it’s no different with me.

“There have been some good young players like striker Daniel Lalhlimpuia, joining the ranks so the competition gets harder but it’s a positive as it helps us perform better,” offered Udanta.