Chinglensana Singh Konsham was a daunting figure in the Hyderabad FC backline in the seventh edition of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL). His partnership with Odei Onaindia was crucial to their defence as they conceded just nineteen goals last season.

The promising centre-back was one of HFC’s top performers with 26 tackles, 26 interceptions, and 12 blocks, alongside a crisp passing accuracy of 84.34%. His performances didn’t go under the radar, as national coach Igor Stimac called him up to represent the Indian national team. The player is already an integral part of Stimac’s squad.

Ahead of the upcoming Hero ISL season, Chinglensana Singh spoke with Sportskeeda in an exclusive interview.

“The preparation has been going well. We’ve got another two weeks to keep improving and head into our first game in our best condition as a team,” he commented on the team’s pre-season preparations.

The 24-year-old was among the 6 HFC players who got called-up for the national team. He expressed his view on the seniority and responsibility in the Indian camp.

“The key is to continue playing without any fear or pressure. Now that people know about our collective capabilities and our individual qualities, there surely will be expectations,” he continued, “But we shouldn’t let anything get into our heads. We would rather focus on improving and continue learning while enjoying the process and play with a positive mindset.”

The SAFF Championship victory for the Indian national team was not an easy one as the Tigers were pushed on the backfoot after their first two matches ended in draw. Singh revealed lack of preparation time as the reason for their underperformance in the first two matches.

“Eventually, we grew stronger after every session and won the trophy deservingly. All’s well that ends well!,” he remarked on the SAFF Championship victory.

The Manipuri gave credit to head coach Manuel Marquez’s influence in the team, as they finished fifth on the league table last season, narrowly missing out on the semi-final spot. The team’s fighting spirit resulted in fans enjoying watching Hyderabad FC play.

“He brings out the best in every individual and gets us to play as a well-organized team. He is a leader who takes away the pressure from each player and allows us to enjoy the game and express ourselves on the field. That for me is one of his best qualities,” he stated.

The defender appreciated HFC’s new signing, Juanan, lauding his experience and defensive capabilities. He also mentioned the mutual understanding among them as an essential element to HFC’s success in this season.

Singh also left a special message to the HFC fans who are eagerly waiting for HFC to be a roaring success, claiming the trophy.

“Support us like you’ve always done, as we prepare to embark on another exciting season,” he added.

The HFC fans will be counting on Singh to keep as many clean sheets as possible in the new season. The Nizams are up against Chennaiyin FC on 23rd November 2021 at the Athletic stadium in Bambolim.