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Bengaluru
On the field, together they are sheer magic; two exciting players, deadly exponents in the ‘Beautiful Game.’ Off it, their humility strikes you, and at times as they speak, you wonder, how can a modern day street smart footballer, at times, be so shy.
You mention it to them and both Jeje Lapekhlua and Jackichand Singh quips in unison: “Playing football is the easiest thing for us.”
“The coach has chosen the squad and he has done so with a reason. Yeah, there are big names in the Oman squad and they may be experienced. But we are there to execute our instructions,” Jeje echoes at a Media Interaction in the Garden City.
What he didn’t mention was that despite his age (24) he is almost a veteran in Indian football, having debuted for the Senior team at the age of 19.
You have to work hard to improve: Jeje
“A knee injury hurt me for some time. But I worked hard and am still working hard,” he reflects. “And it just cannot stop. Unless you work hard, you cannot improve.”
“It’s pertinent to have the right guidance. I'm lucky to be coached by someone like Stephen Constantine. His support is helping me come into my groove faster. I need to thank him for all the confidence he has shown in me. I need to pay him back,” he informs www.the-aiff.com.
Hero I-League’s maestro Jackichand Singh mentions about the “tough battle ahead.”
“It will be a very difficult match. But we are ready. It has been an eventful year for me and I aim to carry on the momentum,” he quipped.
“We are training very hard. The coach has set up specific responsibilities and we need to stick to it,” he told www.the-aiff.com. “We will give our best on the field.”
Jeje wants the crowd to play the 12th man
The duo had a spring in their steps during the Team Building Exercise at the ASC Campus the other day. “It was unique for us,” Jacki told www.the-aiff.com. “The sacrifices made by the Army inspired us.”
Jeje added: “It was a wonderful experience. We saw our Jawans doing it with ease. That motivated us and we completed the 21-barrier course. We are well a big happy family.”
Jeje also urged the fans to come out in “numbers” for the match on 11th.
“The atmosphere on the last day of the Hero I-League match was amazing. We need to recreate the atmosphere. Turn out in large numbers,” he urged.
