Wadoo features in Indian camp for Hongkong tour

ABID KHAN

Srinagar, Jan 4: The valley’s international football star, Mehraj-ud-Din Wadoo, has been included in the Cuncolim, Goa camp for the upcoming friendly match against Hongkok scheduled to be held in Hongkok on January 14. Wadoo has been selected by the Indian team coach, Bob Houghton. Of these 30 players taking part in the camp, only 20 will be selected for Hongkok as a part of Indian contingent scheduled to leave on January 11. The players have been selected on the basis of their performance in I-league and Federation Cup. Wadoo said the competition would be tough. “I would need to work real hard to secure a place in the team,” he said. “I’m concentrating hard on my strong points as also on my fitness.” Going by the track record, Wadoo has been consistent with his performance. He scored the winning goal for the Indian team in the final of the South Asian Football Federation Cup played in Pakistan in 2005. This was followed by various tours to Portugal, Middle East and some Asian countries in 2007 and 2008. Wadoo was a part of all the touring teams which brought home success after success. The pick of the season was winning the Nehru Cup against Syria at New Delhi in 2008. The team was undefeated in the following tour to Portugal. Wadoo featured in the AFC cup team as well. India won the cup defeating Tajikistan in the final by 4-1 goals and qualified for the Asian cup after 1984. It was one of the biggest victories that Indian team achieved in football in the recent times. Wadoo attributed the win as the ‘greatest’ ever by the Indian team in recent years. “I am lucky that I have been part of each of the victories that came in our way in the last three years,” he said. About the nature of current tour and its importance Wadoo said that the coach had always been insisting on arranging more matches to improve the ranking.