Khabra eyes missing jewel with BFC
Naveen Peter, Bengaluru, Jan 6, 2017, DHNS:
Of all the players Bengaluru FC have signed this season, there’s one name that stands out. Not just for his abilities on the field, but for the fact that he skippered one of Bengaluru’s fiercest rivals — East Bengal.
For Harmanjot Khabra, however, that doesn’t matter. For him this is a chance to find the missing jewel in his kitty — an I-League title. “Over the past years, I achieved everything at East Bengal, but not the I-League crown,” he said.
“As a player, every year you set targets. And when you keep trying and fall short… I think, that’s that time you should move on. The change is good for the player, the team and the management.”
With the I-League title being his main target, Bengaluru was the first name that cropped up in Khabra’s mind. And with the team management keen on getting the versatile player on board, it didn’t take much time before Khabra was on his way to Bengaluru.
“Bengaluru was interested in me when they started three years ago. But as a professional, I had a commitment with the team. So, now when I wanted to move, Bengaluru was obviously my first option,” he stated.
While in Kolkata, Khabra has been one of the hot properties, outside too he has managed to leave a lasting impression. The 28-year-old has been a vital cog in the Chennaiyin FC set up, a period he believes helped him rediscover himself as a player.
“What I got in Chennaiyin was the best. I have played with players like (Mikaël) Silvestre and (Alessandro) Nesta. And when you have someone like (Marco) Matterazzi there, who is a world champion, the best in you comes out. It really makes a player aware of his capability.”
A defensive midfielder by nature, it’s Khabra’s versatility that has made him a valuable asset. While with East Bengal he’s donned the role of the holding guy in the midfield, in Chennaiyin Khabra was used as a full-back.
“I’m not the kind of player who can dribble past people or who can be an individual match-winner. I'm the sort of guy who can take responsibility; if there's a player who needs to be stopped, I'm there to stop him,” he said describing his style.
“I show my presence on the pitch. Suppose I’m playing at right-back, I prefer stopping the rival left-back to scoring. God has given me this gift of being versatile. The coach knows that I'm a utility player. Wherever he wants me, I'm ready to play. I enjoy doing that.”
For Harmanjot Khabra, however, that doesn’t matter. For him this is a chance to find the missing jewel in his kitty — an I-League title. “Over the past years, I achieved everything at East Bengal, but not the I-League crown,” he said.
“As a player, every year you set targets. And when you keep trying and fall short… I think, that’s that time you should move on. The change is good for the player, the team and the management.”
With the I-League title being his main target, Bengaluru was the first name that cropped up in Khabra’s mind. And with the team management keen on getting the versatile player on board, it didn’t take much time before Khabra was on his way to Bengaluru.
“Bengaluru was interested in me when they started three years ago. But as a professional, I had a commitment with the team. So, now when I wanted to move, Bengaluru was obviously my first option,” he stated.
While in Kolkata, Khabra has been one of the hot properties, outside too he has managed to leave a lasting impression. The 28-year-old has been a vital cog in the Chennaiyin FC set up, a period he believes helped him rediscover himself as a player.
“What I got in Chennaiyin was the best. I have played with players like (Mikaël) Silvestre and (Alessandro) Nesta. And when you have someone like (Marco) Matterazzi there, who is a world champion, the best in you comes out. It really makes a player aware of his capability.”
A defensive midfielder by nature, it’s Khabra’s versatility that has made him a valuable asset. While with East Bengal he’s donned the role of the holding guy in the midfield, in Chennaiyin Khabra was used as a full-back.
“I’m not the kind of player who can dribble past people or who can be an individual match-winner. I'm the sort of guy who can take responsibility; if there's a player who needs to be stopped, I'm there to stop him,” he said describing his style.
“I show my presence on the pitch. Suppose I’m playing at right-back, I prefer stopping the rival left-back to scoring. God has given me this gift of being versatile. The coach knows that I'm a utility player. Wherever he wants me, I'm ready to play. I enjoy doing that.”
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