TILL three months ago, not scoring a goal or an unsatisfactory performance meant simply cold stares in the locker-room, or at the most a couple of harsh words from his coach, for Abel Hammond. But the 24-year-old Ghanian striker, who has been with Mumbai FC for six months and is still getting used to India, has ever since had an extra set of eyes watching his every single move from the stands, and an inadequate show is dealt with much harsher consequences.

“She wants me to do well all the time and succeed on the field. There aren’t too many pleasantries exchanged though if things do not come off too well on the field,” explains Hammond, about his wife Rebecca, who moved down from Canada in November. He is quick to add that her presence gives him a huge boost, and that he always looks to give his best, for whichever team he represents.

The land of the present World Champions of football, Italy, was where Hammond started his journey as a professional footballer at the tender age of 17 though with Brescia, and he spent six years there playing for a number of teams in the various divisions. “I last played for a third division team Citadella, but had issues with the manager there and went back to Ghana to play for my old team for a year,” he reveals. But after a successful return to his homeland, Hammond was approached by I-league debutants Mumbai FC, who were coached by a man, who is renowned in Ghana, David Booth. “I knew nothing about the country, but I had heard about the quality of football being decent there, and Felix Abogaye (his present teammate) is someone, who is well-known back home,” he adds.

The wiry Ghanian though remembers his first ride in his new adopted land, and reveals that the huge number of people on the roads were the first thing that he noticed. “I was totally shocked by the crowds here, and the fact that everyone is so fast and has no time on their hands to even look up at the other person,” he reminisces.

Most of the local footballers though find it difficult to match the same pace on the field for a lengthy period of time, reveals Hammond, and they end up dragging themselves in the last 15 minutes of the game. “That is where strikers like me come to the fore and take advantage of the lack of stamina of the opposing defenders. There is a definite lack of fitness among most of the local players, something that I never experienced in Italy, where everyone is extremely professional,” he says.

Hammond admits that he picked up the Italian language quite early during his stay there, and is now fluent with it, but hasn’t been equally lucky with the local tongue here. “I do know a couple of words, but I haven’t found a suitable teacher to learn Hindi from. But I can get on with my basic English here, and it hasn’t been too much of a problem,” says the striker, who scored the crucial match-winner in the dying moments against East Bengal on Saturday.

Hammond is all praise for Booth and his abilities as a coach and considers him a great man-manager. “He is generally very quiet during the practice sessions, but makes sure that everyone is involved. The camaraderie in the team is always top-notch, and it has been a great six months for me,” he says.

Having two countrymen in the squad is also very special believes Hammond, and reveals that they spend most of their time together. “We have two practice sessions during the day, and are generally very tired to do anything else. Felix and James (Dissimiriah) are always in my room,” he says, while adding that Bandra is where all the shopping in the Hammond family takes place.