Brazilian maestro Phillipe Coutinho shuffled off the pitch after scoring a hat-trick against Werder Bremen last December. The Bayern Munich number 10 – on loan from Barcelona – was making way for substitute and senior team debutant Sarpreet Singh, who would become the first footballer of Indian descent to play in the German top flight. New Zealand-born forward Singh, also the first Kiwi to play in the Bundesliga since Wynton Rufer in 1997, conceded there were a couple of jitters as he took to the left flank – but these were soon put to rest by teammate Robert Lewandowski. “I felt pretty comfortable – a few nerves – but it was simple as Lewandowski talked to me in the warm-up. He was like ‘I’ll come play on your side at the start just to help you get into the game’,” the 21-year-old Singh told The Post via a video call days before joining Nurnberg on a year-long loan. “He was always in the left pocket when I was playing out wide. It was really nice to have someone say that and help you get into the game. When I first got onto the ball, I just tried to work as hard as possible.” Bundesliga debut Congrats, @Sarpreetsingh88 #FCBSVW pic.twitter.com/YvadfquBzI — FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) December 14, 2019 It has been just over a year since Singh officially joined the Bundesliga giants. The former Wellington Phoenix player had been scouted after a strong showing for New Zealand at the 2019 Fifa Under-20s World Cup, immediately linking up with Bayern II – the reserves team competing in Germany’s third division – before being hand-picked by head coach Hans-Dieter Flick to train with the senior squad. Singh made his first senior start against Freiburg in June after Bayern sealed their eighth consecutive title. He spent much of the season learning his trade under the tutelage of assistant coach Miroslav Klose – perhaps better known as the Fifa World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer. “I don’t remember too much about [him] but I do know he was one of the world’s best strikers. He was an absolute gun for the German national team and whichever team he played for. I’ve been working with him closely – he understands how to develop the young players – so just to be able to learn from him is a fantastic opportunity,” the attacking midfielder said. The magnitude of Singh’s move has not only been felt in Australasia (having made his name in Australia’s A-League with Wellington), but the Asia-Pacific as a whole. “From when I first arrived here I thought I had a good impact on the team. The more I get to know the boys, the more comfortable [I feel]. I definitely feel comfortable in the Bundesliga. I’m training among the best players who win every single game, week-in week-out..” Singh’s Indian heritage and New Zealand upbringing are often topics of interest in training. The All Whites national team member contrasted one stark difference when returning to see his family. when players get much-needed time off. “They find it crazy that I have to fly 30-40 hours just to get home. For them, it’s incredible because everything’s in Europe – it’s a one-hour flight to go to a different country. They want to know about my background and they look out for me at the same time,” he said, adding that he has also travelled to India a few times, the latest being a preseason outing with Bayern against the Indian national team. “I grew up in a Punjabi family eating Punjabi food, so I do miss it sometimes. I also have some friends that play in the Indian Super League ... I hope it can keep developing. Who knows, maybe one day [I’ll play in the league].” Having been brought up in a nation more commonly known for its rugby and cricket, Singh is well aware of the unlikely journey he has spent most of his life making. What started as a bit of hype in Auckland led to Wellington general manager David Dome labelling him “living proof that young New Zealand football players can succeed”. View this post on Instagram Always nice seeing kiwi faces, all the best for the weekend boys @allblacks7s ⚽️ A post shared by Sarpreet Singh (@sarpreet.singh11) on Sep 19, 2019 at 2:26pm PDT “For me, If you want to play football at the highest level you have to be in Europe, it’s as simple as that. There's a lot of young boys that can cut it in Europe, for sure. But at the same time it’s very cutthroat and you have to be strong to survive. “Nothing is handed to you and you’re in a completely different environment where maybe you don’t speak the language and your family’s not with you. The A-League is definitely the perfect platform for young players to play in, then to make the step up,” he said, suggesting fellow exciting Wellington alumnus Liberato Cacace could make the grade. The grind and sacrifice is something Singh is very familiar with. He recalled trying to make a name for himself, despite the cynicism regarding his less-than-imposing size and whether his technical prowess could translate overseas. “Even when I was in New Zealand, I always believed in myself. Sometimes people doubt you and make comments, but you should never let that get into your head. I always knew technically I could compete at a very high level. “Everyone who’s got to where they are had to make some sort of sacrifice. For me, I’m away from my family all the time. Sometimes it’s not easy, but I see the bigger picture and why I do this,” Singh said, advising young players to approach football as if “there’s nothing better to do in the world”. As he travels to the other end of Bavaria to meet his new teammates in Nuremberg, Singh hopes his loan spell with the second division outfit can improve his chances of properly breaking into the Bayern starting XI. View this post on Instagram Excited to have signed for @1_fc_nuernberg for the upcoming season. Looking forward to getting started A post shared by Sarpreet Singh (@sarpreet.singh11) on Aug 7, 2020 at 10:58pm PDT “A loan could be a very good option to get to a higher level,” Singh said before the clubs reached an agreement, outlining the need to be patient. “Sometimes you feel hard done by but sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture and think about what you've done. Obviously, when I’m training I’m one of them and I want to play ahead of them. That’s normal because I’m so competitive. At the same time, I understand I have time to develop and need to develop to play at this level week in, week out. “These players at Bayern don’t just come onto the scene. They work hard for years, then nail down their spots ... Patience is very important.”