Sana Singh talks about setting down at HFC, challenges in the pre-season and more…

Having been part of FC Goa for the last three seasons, how challenging do you think conditions will be for teams who will be spending more than six months in this state?

Goa is a state with a lot of beautiful places. So, in terms of not being able to go out and visit, it will be really tough for not just us but for all teams in the Indian Super League. Sometimes, even on off-days when you want to relax, it is not an option. Nobody is used to these norms, so this pre-season is going to be challenging mentally, as much as physically.

With lockdowns and quarantines, how have you managed to keep yourself fit in the off-season?

Personally, I had friends who own a gym and turf in my home town, which made it easier for me to stick to my fitness routines. I had access to train at these facilities, which helped me in the off-season. In my first season with FC Goa, I was not deemed fit enough and I learned my lesson early. So, I wanted a better version of myself and wanted to work hard and improve every day so I was keen to use them regularly. It was also important for me to follow a diet and train hard, which will hopefully help me in the build-up to the new ISL season.

💪 The hard work continues! #HFCPreseason #HyderabadFC 🟡⚫️ pic.twitter.com/8KNzXPjbOh

— Hyderabad FC (@HydFCOfficial) October 10, 2020

How supportive have your new teammates been in pre-season so far?

I already feel a part of this beautiful club. I have previously played with a number of players currently at Hyderabad FC. I worked with Laxmikanth Kattimani in my time with FC Goa. Subrata Paul helped me settle into the Indian national team when I made my debut in Bhutan. I travelled with Adil Kahn and Halicharan Narzary playing with the national team while Souvik Chakrabarti was my teammate at Delhi Dynamos. So, I have a lot of familiar faces here and I feel that I am at the right place, training with the right people, which makes me even more excited to be a part of this club.

How challenging are the double sessions in the pre-season for the players?

As of now, we haven’t trained with the team for over five months due to the lockdowns and quarantines, which definitely affects athletes at the professional level. A lot of players did not even have access to train in the off-season, so having dual training sessions is now much more challenging mentally. We are, however, used to such double sessions in pre-season. We just need to have a positive approach and work hard every day as a team and individually so that we can become a stronger unit going into the ISL campaign.