Rakesh Masih
Encyclopedia
Rakesh Masih is an Indian
international football player. He is currently playing for Mohun Bagan in the I-League
in India as a Defender. Before that, he played club football in Punjab
. Masih made his international debut against Hong Kong National Football Team
.He is an important player for the Mariners.
The Punjab born lad can play both as a central defender and in central midfield because of his strong built and good heading ability. Then-Mohun Bagan coach Karim Bencherifa used him in central midfield alongside the experienced Marcos Pereira and the two formed one of the best central midfield partnerships in the 2008-09 I-League campaign. Masih was instrumental in Bagan’s record breaking ten match winning run in the league and the Federation Cup triumph that season.
In January 2009, Masih made his international debut in the 2-1 defeat against Hong Kong and since then he has been a regular member of the Indian squad. Masih’s fine performances in the 08-09 season won him nominations for the ‘Best Young Player’ and ‘Best Player Of The Year’ (Fans’ Choice) categories in the inaugural edition of the FPAI Awards in 2009.
Last season, he was troubled with a number of injuries and thus couldn’t feature regularly for Mohun Bagan in the I-League. He returned in the second half of the season but never regained his best form and thus the Mariners struggled. However the club officials have kept faith in him and retained him for another season. He may not be a first team starter in Doha but his versatility will make him a valuable asset to the Indian squad.
http://mohunbaganac.com/SEPT08/playerdetails.php?playerId=69
http://mohunbaganac.com/SEPT08/news_details.php?newsid=296
http://mohunbaganac.com/SEPT08/news_details.php?newsid=943
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
international football player. He is currently playing for Mohun Bagan in the I-League
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
in India as a Defender. Before that, he played club football in Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
. Masih made his international debut against Hong Kong National Football Team
Hong Kong national football team
The Hong Kong national football team , represents Hong Kong in international association football events such as the FIFA World Cup, AFC Asian Cup and East Asian Football Championship. The team is represented by the Hong Kong Football Association....
.He is an important player for the Mariners.
Career
Masih spent four years at the Tata Football Academy and was regarded as one of the best cadets of his batch. While at the TFA, Masih earned a call up to the India Under-23 side in 2007 and played in the 2008 Olympic qualifiers. In 2008 he signed for the Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan and had a wonderful season.The Punjab born lad can play both as a central defender and in central midfield because of his strong built and good heading ability. Then-Mohun Bagan coach Karim Bencherifa used him in central midfield alongside the experienced Marcos Pereira and the two formed one of the best central midfield partnerships in the 2008-09 I-League campaign. Masih was instrumental in Bagan’s record breaking ten match winning run in the league and the Federation Cup triumph that season.
In January 2009, Masih made his international debut in the 2-1 defeat against Hong Kong and since then he has been a regular member of the Indian squad. Masih’s fine performances in the 08-09 season won him nominations for the ‘Best Young Player’ and ‘Best Player Of The Year’ (Fans’ Choice) categories in the inaugural edition of the FPAI Awards in 2009.
Last season, he was troubled with a number of injuries and thus couldn’t feature regularly for Mohun Bagan in the I-League. He returned in the second half of the season but never regained his best form and thus the Mariners struggled. However the club officials have kept faith in him and retained him for another season. He may not be a first team starter in Doha but his versatility will make him a valuable asset to the Indian squad.
External links
- http://goal.com/en-india/people/india/21512/rakesh-masih
http://mohunbaganac.com/SEPT08/playerdetails.php?playerId=69
http://mohunbaganac.com/SEPT08/news_details.php?newsid=296
http://mohunbaganac.com/SEPT08/news_details.php?newsid=943