Harmeet Singh (footballer)

Harmeet Singh

Singh with Norway U21 in 2011
Personal information
Date of birth (1990-11-12) 12 November 1990
Place of birth Oslo, Norway
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Molde
Youth career
–2002 Furuset Fotball
2003–2007 Vålerenga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2007–2012 Vålerenga 101 (8)
2012–2014 Feyenoord 7 (0)
2014–2015 Molde 53 (4)
2016 Midtjylland 0 (0)
2016– Molde 4 (1)
National team‡
2005 Norway U15 7 (3)
2006 Norway U16 13 (2)
2007 Norway U17 14 (2)
2008 Norway U18 5 (0)
2008–2009 Norway U19 11 (0)
2008–2011 Norway U21 37 (5)
2012– Norway 7 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:55, 10 April 2016 (UTC).
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12:32, 13 March 2016 (UTC)

Harmeet Singh (born 12 November 1990) is a Norwegian international footballer who plays professionally for Norwegian side Molde FK as a defensive midfielder.

He is nicknamed "The Norwegian Iniesta" by international media.[1][2] Jim Solbakken is Singh's current agent.[3][4]

Early and personal life

Singh was born in Oslo to Indian parents originally from Jalandhar. He started his career with the local youth multi-sports club Furuset IF before moving to Vålerenga in 2003, at the age of 13.[5] He has lived in India for a year.[6]

Club career

Vålerenga

He made his league debut under Martin Andresen in a 1–1 draw against Rosenborg BK in 2008. Singh's goal on 23 September 2009 against Molde in the semi-final of the 2009 Norwegian Football Cup,[7] was nominated Goal of the Year in Norway in 2009.[8] In a friendly game with Vålerenga former FC Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola praised Singh heavily after the game in which he scored a goal.[9][10] With Vålerenga he won the 2008 Norwegian Football Cup and became runner-up in the 2009 Superfinalen and the 2010 Tippeligaen.[11]

Feyenoord

On 5 July 2012 it was officially announced that he would join Dutch side Feyenoord on a two-year contract with an option for a third and fourth season for a transfer fee of €300.000.[12] In Rotterdam he will play with squad number 16 alongside fellow Norwegian Omar Elabdellaoui who came over on a season long loan from Manchester City.[13] Singh stated that he was delighted to play for a team in which players like Dirk Kuyt, Robin van Persie and Roy Makaay played before.[14]

Singh made a total of seven appearances, six as a substitute during the 2012–13 season, and was an unused substitute in 23 matches.[15] Singh asked to go on loan to another club ahead of the 2013–14 season, and he was close on joining NEC Nijmegen but the transfer did not happen. Towards the end of September 2013, Singh had not featured for Feyenoord during the new season, and stated that he wanted to leave the club in the next transfer window unless he managed to play more for the first team.[15]

Molde

On 19 February 2014, it was announced that Singh had signed a two-year deal with Molde after leaving Feyenoord on a free transfer.[15]

FC Midtjylland

On 1 February 2016 it was confirmed, that FC Midtjylland had signed a 3-year contract with Singh.[16]

Molde Return

On 11 March 2016, Singh's contract with FC Midtjylland was cancelled due failing to settle in Denmark,[17] and he returned to Molde FK, signing a 18-month contract with the club.[18]

International career

Harmeet Singh playing for Norway U21 in 2011.

Singh has represented Norway at the U15, U16, U17, U18, U19 and U21 levels. On 5 June 2009, at just 18 years of age, he made his debut for the U21s in a 1–1 draw against Estonia U21.[19]

Singh made his debut for the senior team when he replaced Simen Brenne at half time in a 1–1 friendly draw against Denmark on 15 January 2012.[20] He featured in all three matches in the 2012 King's Cup.[21]

Being born to Indian parents, Singh stated in an interview with Canal+ in December 2012 that he would consider playing for India.[22][23]

Career statistics

As of 10 April 2016[11][24]
Club Division Season League Cup Continental Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Vålerenga Tippeligaen 2007 00100010
2008 9030-120
2009 2516220333
2010 30510-315
2011 2722240334
2012 10010-110
Feyenoord Eredivisie 2012–2013 70001080
2013–2014 0000–00
Molde Tippeligaen 2014 2835040363
2015 25120111382
2016 41000041
Career Total 1651321422120818

Playing style

Singh plays as a deep-lying midfielder.[25][26]

Honours

Singh received a 'Special Recognition Award' at the Asian Football Awards.[27][28] In 2010, Singh was listed as one of the "100 greatest talents out of the world" by the Spanish football newspaper Don Balón.[29][30][31] Singh's goal on 23 September 2009 against Molde in the semi-final of the 2009 Norwegian Football Cup, was nominated Goal of the Year in Norway. [32]

References

  1. ↑ "Harmeet Singh, el 'Iniesta noruego', sueña con jugar en España" (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 30 June 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  2. ↑ "Update: 'Noorse Iniesta' meldt zich dinsdag voor keuring bij Feyenoord" (in Dutch). Voetbalzone. 2 July 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  3. ↑ "Harmeet Singh approaching the transition to Molde". Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  4. ↑ "Feyenoord nightmare is over for Harmeet Singh". Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  5. ↑ Hindustan, Times. "They underestimated my ability because of my name". HT Times, India. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  6. ↑ "Harmeet Singh åpner for å bytte ut Norge med India Har over 80 U-landskamper i rød drakt.". SIGVE KVAMME. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  7. ↑ "Liten glede for Singh". vif-fotball.no (in Norwegian). Vålerenga Fotball. 23 September 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  8. ↑ "Stem på årets mål". fotball.no (in Norwegian). Football Association of Norway. 29 October 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  9. ↑ "EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Q & A with Harmeet Singh". www.vaishalibhardwaj.com. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  10. ↑ "Barcelona Coach Pep Guardiola Impressed By Valerenga’s Luton Shelton". Robin Bairner. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  11. 1 2 Harmeet Singh profile at Soccerway
  12. ↑ "Feyenoord versterkt zich met Harmeet Singh" (in Dutch). Feyenoord Official Website. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  13. ↑ "Feyenoord versterkt zich met Singh en Elabdellaoui". FeyenoordNet. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  14. ↑ "Singh vol ambitie naar De Kuip" (in Dutch). Feyenoord Official Website. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  15. 1 2 3 Hernes, Øystein; Mangelrød, Nils (24 September 2013). "Singh har spilt 131 minutter på ett år" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
  16. ↑ "Harmeet Singh på plads i FCM". FC Midtjylland. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  17. ↑ "Singh på plads i Molde". fcm.dk (in Danish). FC Midtjylland. 11 March 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  18. ↑ "Harmeet Singh tilbake i Molde FK". moldefk.no (in Norwegian). Molde FK. 11 March 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  19. ↑ "Estonia 1–1 Norway". Norway Football Federation. 5 June 2009.
  20. ↑ "Elyounoussi reddet Norge: – Dette lover godt". vg.no (in Norwegian). VG. 15 January 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  21. ↑ Flygind, Kjetil (21 January 2012). "- Ikke hørt noe fra Molde" (in Norwegian). Aftenposten. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  22. ↑ Kvamme, Sigve (2 December 2012). "Harmeet Singh åpner for å bytte ut Norge med India" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  23. ↑ "'India is really close to my heart' - Feyenoord new boy Harmeet Singh.". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  24. ↑ "Harmeet Singh". nifs.no (in Norwegian). A-pressen.
  25. ↑ "Who is Harmeet Singh: Profiling the youngster of Indian origin who has just joined Dutch giants Feyenoord". Kaustav Bera. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  26. ↑ "Indian origin footballer Harmeet Singh joins Molde FK from Feyenoord". Chris Punnakkattu Daniel. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  27. ↑ "Asian Football Awards 2013". Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  28. ↑ "Asian Football Awardwinners announced". Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  29. ↑ "Henriksen and Singh toplist". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  30. ↑ "↑ Los 100 & Youth talentos actuales". Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  31. ↑ "From talent to top player". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  32. ↑ "VOTE FOR THIS YEAR'S TARGET". NFF News. Retrieved 13 March 2014.

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