Not an easy game for us, have to be on top, asserts Jamshedpur FC boss Khalid Jamil

Tomorrow’s game will be Khalid Jamil’s first as in-charge of Jamshedpur FC in Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24.

Jamshedpur FC will kick-off their second half of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 season against NorthEast United FC on January 31 (Wednesday) at the JRD Tata Sports Complex Football Stadium. The Men of Steel currently find themselves at the tenth position with nine points after 12 games.

Khalid Jamil will face his former team and the stakes are high for both sides. The coach, along with Len Doungel and PC Dinpuia, addressed the media before the game. Here are the excerpts from the statements given.

Thoughts before the game

Tomorrow’s game will be Khalid Jamil’s first in-charge for Jamshedpur FC in Indian Super League. The coach was asked to start with updates on preparation and the upcoming match.

Khalid asserted, “Yes, I give all the credit to the boys. All the players played well and worked hard. They combined. We have the capability to turn the tides. They are doing well and confident. We motivated them. I told them to play their natural game. We motivated them and we got good results in the Super Cup. We have to continue like this because the first match is very important. We will do what we have prepared. There are 10 matches left. We lost (matches) in the first leg. This time we should play well. We can’t underestimate the opponent because they are a good team. They have a good mix of Indian & foreign players. So, it is not an easy game for us. We have to be on top.”

On Indian coaches taking charge in ISL

Khalid Jamil did wonders when he took over struggling NorthEast United FC mid season and guided them to semi-finals in Indian Super League 2020-21 season. Ever since, we have seen Indian coaches taking over when needed and producing results. The manager was asked to share his thoughts on this.

Khalid Jamil opined, “There are Indian coaches who are successful. It is not that foreigners or Indians should only get the opportunities but whoever is capable, must get a chance. And no doubt, Indians are capable of doing the same. So, it is all about results. So, there is no such difference between Indian & foreign coaches.”

PC Laldinpuia’s comments

The younger defender Dinpuia has earned himself a reputation in the squad for being one of the most consistent performers in the league over the last two seasons. 

On that, the defender commented, “The coach trusts me and believes in me. For me that’s the most important thing and as a player it’s helped me a lot.  As a team as well, we have each other’s backs and keep helping and motivating in training as well as off the field. You will see that in the games as well – we celebrate in the happy moments and help each other pick ourselves up when things aren’t going our way.”

Dipuia continued talking about the mood in the dressing room at the club, “It’s a good environment. We all are pumped up after a decent run in the Super Cup. We are disappointed we didn’t win of course. But, with the new head coach, along with having won all our group games and a very spirited semi-final performance, we are raring to give our best shot in the remaining ISL games.”

Len Doungel’s comments

The winger Len Doungel accompanied the coach for the press conference and shared his thoughts about the game.

He asserted, “As a player, we have been like this for many years. So, we adapt according to the coach somewhere or the other. It depends on how the player wants to be used. How to use the design? How to make him play? That is how we try. We try to do what the coaches say. It is not that we are perfect but we try. We give 100% of ourselves. So, it is not that it is difficult. Hopefully, we will replicate the same gameplay in the Indian Super League as we did in the Kalinga Super Cup.

“We always have a winning mentality as a player. In ISL, we must keep playing as we did in the Super Cup and we have to do it well. So, the result will automatically be good.” 

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