Need to convert more chances: Anirudh Thapa

New Delhi [India], May 26 (ANI): With the Indian football team looking to bring in young talent, even a 23-year-old like Anirudh Thapa is seen as one of the senior members in the team. Currently in Doha, Thapa says his sole aim was to stay fit during the time at home after the international friendlies in March.

"The primary aim was to stay fit, and in proper condition so that when the national team call came I would be in my best physical prowess. Professor (Luka Radman, fitness coach) has always insisted on building muscle power and strength and I was working relentlessly in the gym.

"But then the second wave struck and I was confined to my home for the last two weeks. From that time onward, I worked mostly on the individual programmes which were sent to me," he told the-aiff.com.

While Thapa has done well on the field, he feels there is a lot to achieve. "There is still a long way to go for me and I need to improve on a whole lot of aspects. I need to convert more chances. Vision wise, I know I can do better. I need to be adept to the changing playing circumstances that arise during the match. For example, there may be phases where we need to play direct football during the match. I need to push up front a bit more to help increase the numbers.

"But then, it should never be coming at the cost of me leaving a vacant hole in the midfield. I am learning how to balance it. I need to watch my back and go up," he pointed.

Commenting on his role in the team, Thapa said: "My role has changed. There are many young players coming in and challenging everyone. My job is to guide them as to what is expected from them in the national team set-up. You just cannot be selfish and just help yourself. You need to think about others too.

"The set-up in the national team is a different feeling altogether. Starting from the pride to the game sense to the tempo and intensity of the training sessions, and eventually the matches -- whatever I have learnt, I share with them. At the end, we are representing 1.4 billion people and they are never to be let down." (ANI)