‘If we play as team, we can beat anyone’

With 63rd Santosh Trophy Scheduled To Be Held In Tamil Nadu From May 23, JK Team Is Practicing Hard In A Coaching Camp In Srinagar. The Final Team Would Be Announced Shortly.

SAMEER HUSSAIN

AGE: 24

POSITION: Midfield

TEAMS PLAYED: JNV Budgam, NVS Delhi, Maharaja Sports, JK Bank

CURRENT TEAM: JK Forest

Sameer is popularly known as Chetri for his quickness like national team striker, Sunil Chetri. Hailing from Budgam district, he started playing football from his school team (Jawahar Navodaya Vidyaliya). During school days, he was selected for the All India JNV tournament. He represented the School in Manipur national event where he showed brilliant performance due to which he was selected for All India NVS team. He played there till he passed matric.Sameer has represented state in two under-19 national events in Himachal Pradesh – in which JK qualified their pool and he scored two goals – and second in under-19 national in Haldiwani in which JK team qualified for semifinal. He has also represented the state in two under-21 national tournaments held at Uttranchal and Delhi.Sameer started playing in league tournaments from Maharaja Sports and within short period attracted the attention of football lovers with his dazzling speedy runs. Seeing talent in the player, JK Forest recruited him. Along with other young players of the team he helped Forest team to regain its place in state football arena. Currently JK Forest is ranked along with the teams like JK Bank and JK SRTC.Sameer was recruited by JK Bank, but he rejoined Forest after having brief stint with the Bank.His speed and dribbling skills separate him with other players and midfielders. The most important feature of Sameer is that he never looses hope and always looks to score or make way for his teammates.Experts say that Sameer’s strength is his consistency .He is natural right footer and can swing ball both ways. He has got surprise element in him, which at many times proves lethal for the opponents. He has got canny knack of scoring goals at important moments. The only thing that Sameer needs to improve is to work on his left foot, which is little bit shaky. Sameer says JK has good chance to qualify from the pool. “We have talented players in the team. Our pool is not that strong as we are placed along with Pudicherry, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram. Among the three teams, only Mizoram is threat to us but if we play like a team then we can easily beat them.”About his own performance, Sameer said, “It is my debut Santosh Trophy and I know its importance. I’m confident that I’ll be able to put on good show. I’m really working hard in the coaching camp.”

Apeared in greater kashmir on May 14 http://greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=14_5_2009&ItemID=7&cat=4