Sunil Chhetri
Indian Super League (ISL) side ATK Mohun Bagan's top striker Manvir Singh on Saturday said people should not compare him with India captain Sunil Chhetri as the latter was a legend.
Manvir, who is in Qatar with the India team to play three 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, said, "I just have to do my hard work to establish myself. Replacing Chhetri is a huge thing, he is a legend. I don't want to compare myself with him. I have to showcase my own performances."
Manvir credited his performance in the 2020-21 ISL season to the opportunities he got during his stint with FC Goa.
The 25-year-old finished the season with six goals and three assists -- his best campaign in the ISL, and guided his team to the final, where it lost to Mumbai City FC.
"It was a wonderful journey. I didn't get regular game time at FC Goa but I used to have time here and there. It boosted my confidence. I realised the standards of the ISL and how to perform. Then I signed for ATK Mohun Bagan and I grabbed that opportunity to give my 100 per cent," the striker told footballmonk.com.
On his move from FC Goa to ATK Mohun Bagan, Manvir said that a strong pre-season boosted his confidence and allowed him to perform consistently throughout the 2020-21 season.
"I didn't get much opportunity at FC Goa. If someone comes in the 80th minute, what can you expect from him in those 10 minutes?
"Later, I spent the pre-season at Minerva Punjab in Chandigarh. The pre-season was very satisfactory. That momentum continued throughout the whole season. It levelled up my confidence and performance. It helped me a lot."
The forward announced his arrival in ISL 2020-21 with a strike in the first Kolkata derby of the season. Singh came on as a substitute for Antonio Lopez Habas's side in the second half and doubled their lead over city rivals East Bengal.
"I felt very proud of myself to score in my first derby," said Manvir.
