Mehrajuddin Wadoo is Bharat FC’s latest recruit

Mehraj Wadoo with manager Stuart Watkiss

Bharat FC took another important step towards fortifying their backline, adding experienced defender Mehrajuddin Wadoo to the squad. Wadoo who has already joined Bharat FC’s pre-season training camp is on loan from Indian Super League side FC Pune City for the 2014-15 season. Bharat FC will be playing their inaugural I-League season which kicks off on January 17.

The 30-year-old Wadoo who can play across the backline but was used as a right-back by his ISL side comes to Bharat FC off the back of a successful season. He made 10 appearances for FC Pune City, earning praise for his work-rate and willingness to push up the field to help out in the attacking third.

Wadoo, who hails from Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir, is also credited with popularizing football in the valley. One of the first footballers from the state to earn a professional contract, Wadoo has plied his trade with some of the most reputed Indian clubs. Having begun his career with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Bangalore in the 2002-2003 season, Wadoo wasted no time in carving out a credible reputation for himself.

He moved to Indian Telephone Institute the next season but left to join Sporting Clube de Goa after just six months at ITI. At the beginning of the 2004 season, he joined Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan AC, spending three seasons with the Mariners. He then switched to Mohun Bagan’s fierce rivals East Bengal, playing for them from 2007 to 2011. The following season, Wadoo turned out for Salgaocar before returning to Kolkata at the beginning of the 2012-2013 season to play for Mohammedan Sporting.

The defender is also a full international for India. Having represented his country on 31 occasions, Wadoo has also scored two goals for India. It was his goal that clinched the 2005 SAFF Cup final for India against Bangladesh in Karachi. Wadoo has also been part of Nehru Cup triumphs in 2007 and 2009 apart from being in the Indian squad that won the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup.

Bharat FC’s head-coach Stuart Watkiss said that he had been impressed by Wadoo’s awareness and also his willingness to play in multiple positions during the ISL. “Mehraj is a fantastic player. He has a lot of experience and we can use that same experience as we look to build a strong, cohesive unit. He has been a rock for his Super League side during the ISL and we hope that he transfers that same form with us here at Bharat FC,” he said.

Kunal Agarwal, director of Bharat FC, said that apart from Wadoo’s experience, the 30-year-old was an excellent role model for youngsters and fans of the club. “Mehraj is probably one of the finest footballers in our country. He is very humble, hardworking and approachable, values that Bharat FC holds very dear to its heart. Apart from that, he is brilliant with the ball at his feet and I am sure he will be an important asset to the side,” he said.

Wadoo himself said that working with an experienced back-room staff and the idea of creating something from scratch was what attracted him towards Bharat FC. “The club is young but the ideas that we want to work on are great. Training sessions are very interesting, the coaching staff is bringing a lot of new exciting ideas in and I think moving to Bharat FC was the right decision for me as far as my own career is concerned,” said Wadoo.