"Playing against Hyderabad was difficult because you feel for the club" - New Bengaluru FC signing Chinglensana Singh on facing his former club

Chinglensana Singh breaks into a smile long before he sees you. The marauding warrior sheathed inside the cover of a modest man, who is good first and foremost, wears the bue of Bengaluru FC now.

The tall centre-back, who signed for Hyderabad FC's southern rivals towards the end of the January transfer window after terminating his contract with the former, came face-to-face with his old teammates when the two sides clashed in the ISL at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday.

It was a game in which Chinglensana stood tall in defense and protected his goal from harm with impeccable positioning and man-marking; what made him stand apart from his colleagues was his willingness to play the long ball and bring his attackers into play as well.

Chatting extensively with Sportskeeda and reliving old memories after the game, Chinglensana elaborated on how he has settled into his new club and most importantly, what it meant to face Hyderabad as his opponents.

"It's been pretty good settling in here. It's not easy but I have been learning well and adapting to what they have asked me to do. The system is different, so it took a bit of time to adjust to that, but the seniors at the club and the other players have made it easy for me," said Chinglensana.

Playing against the Yellow and Black - which he last wore in December against Jamshedpur FC at the Maidaan in Gachibowli - was not easy for him at all.

"Oh dear, it was difficult. I stayed a good three and a half years in Hyderabad and made a lot of memories. Playing against Hyderabad was difficult because you feel for the club and what it is going through. But as professionals, we had to grind and get a result out of this game. But it was not easy playing against my former club at all. It was an emotional moment for me," he explained.

The fans were my strong pillars of support when I was in Hyderabad - Chinglensana Singh

Chinglensana used to be a Nawab not too long ago. [Hyd FC]

Chinglensana added a lovely touch to the occasion when he, flanked by Nikhil Poojary (another former Nawab who went south in January), came over to speak to the traveling Hyderabad fans after the final whistle blew.

The supporters, in turn, were seen chanting his and Poojary's names from the stands whenever the duo had the ball at their feet. "He's one of our own!" was a recurring theme in those dulcet chants.

When asked if it had been tough for him to leave Hyderabad, where he had been adored so much and showered so much love and good wishes upon, the 27-year-old admitted that it was.

"Yes (it was tough). It was lovely to see the fans today. See, they supported me through and through when I was in Hyderabad and I cannot thank them enough for it. They were my strong pillars of support when I was there, and it was so heartening to see them today. I also noted that they chanted my name today even though I was on the opposite side. This just goes to show how deeply they love and care about me," said Chinglensana.

Chinglensana seen training with Bengaluru FC. [BFC Media]

Settling into the Bengaluru dressing room and head coach Gerard Zaragoza's system was a little challenging at first, but the presence of familiar faces such as Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, and former Nawabs Halicharan Narzary and Rohit Danu has made it easier for him.

"It is good, overall. It was a little challenging in the beginning, but it has got better. I think I am in a good space because a lot of known people are around. It helped me and Nikhil (Poojary) settle in quickly because they were warm, cordial and very welcoming," he explained.

It never seems easy to end one's conversation with the Churachandpur, Manipur-born defender, who has also been a regular for Igor Stimac in the Indian national team, as he wants to speak more, but the constraints of time bind us down.

The warmth, cordiality, and courtesy he extends to everyone he meets is the hallmark of a great man, and not just a great player, which he undoubtedly is, and will continue to be.

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