India´s Singh to trial for Heart fbl contract

India football international Gouramangi Singh is to spend two weeks on trial for a contract with new Australian A-League club Melbourne Heart, officials said on Monday.

Singh, 24, will link up with Heart from June 7-19 in a bid to become the fourth Indian international to play for an overseas club.

Central defender Singh played a pivotal role in India?s victorious 2008 AFC Challenge Cup campaign, helping his country to secure qualification to January’s Asian Cup in Qatar, where India have been grouped with the Socceroos.

Dutch head coach John van ?t Schip said he was looking forward to having the opportunity to gain an insight into Singh?s potential to adapt to the A-League.

“Indian football is very much an unknown quantity, but I am confident Gouramangi has the potential to make an impression here in Melbourne,” van ‘t Schip said in a statement.

“Despite his age, he is already an accomplished international footballer, having played in a number of important matches for India, including World Cup qualifiers.

“The club will have a close look at his ability and determine whether he is both capable of making the transition to the A-League and playing the football we want to play.”

Melbourne Heart chief executive Scott Munn said he believed the move was an important first step in building closer ties between Australian and Indian football.

“India has a long history of getting behind its sportspeople,” Munn said.

“If Melbourne Heart FC or the A-League can assist in developing the profile and quality of Indian football and Indian footballers, there are obvious benefits to football in the Asian confederation.

“We are glad we are in a position to give Gouramangi the opportunity to work with international level coaches, such as John van ?t Schip, and international players on a daily basis.”

Singh, who has 21 international caps, clinched the “Best Defender” award as he helped lead Churchill Brothers SC to the 2008/09 I-League crown and qualification for the preliminary phase of the 2010 AFC Champions League.

If Singh can earn a contract at Heart he will be playing alongside Australian internationals, John Aloisi and Simon Colosimo, next season.