Jordan Murray on changes at Jamshedpur FC, Khalid Jamil, Indian youngsters, Australian stars in ISL & more

Jordan Murray will be competing in his fourth season of Indian football.

The 2024-25 Indian football season kicked off with the 133rd edition of the Durand Cup. All Indian Super League (ISL) teams except Hyderabad FC have begun their preparations in full swing for the upcoming season. A lot of teams have undergone major revamps throughout the summer and one such club is Jamshedpur FC, who have had more than 10 arrivals during the transfer window.

One of their most prominent signings throughout the summer has been Australian forward Jordan Murray. The Men of Steel have re-signed the striker from Down Under with the hopes to get back on track. Ahead of the upcoming season, Jordan Murray addressed the media and shared his thoughts.

Changes at Jamshedpur FC

The striker began by sharing his thoughts on the changes that he has noticed between his two stints at the club. He said that during his first stint with the club, the team stayed inside a bio-bubble and now everything has returned to normalcy. He mentioned, “I think it’s a difficult question because obviously when I was with Jamshedpur, it was in the bubble.

“I would say the biggest difference is being in the bubble last time, we were a lot closer, living on top of each other, everything was together. From going to training to going to games to coming back to the hotel.

“So, to now be in Jamshedpur, be at the complex with the training ground, the pool, all the facilities, obviously it is more open, it is more general life, but I’m enjoying it just as much as I was when I was in the bubble there.” 

He also mentioned that now he can meet the locals and feel like a part of Jamshedpur. “Obviously, meeting the local people, being a part of Jamshedpur, being at the stadium now. For me, being closer to the community is a noticeable difference.

“It’s still early on to know football-wise. So for me, it’s just about training and getting to know my current teammates. I’ve played with a few here already and I know a lot of the backroom staff and the management. I know what the expectations are of the club. So for me, it’s to try and fill that and do the best I can for Jamshedpur FC,” Jordan Murray asserted.

Coming back to Jamshedpur FC

Jordan opened up about his feelings on coming back to Jamshedpur and said that he feels great to be back and will do everything possible to bring Jamshedpur FC back to winning ways. “It’s great to be back at the club and I’m hoping to have the same success as I did in the 2021-22 season.

“Now, I guess it’s my responsibility to make sure that players are switched on, happy and onboard with everything that we’re doing. For me, it’s just about being one of those players that young players can aspire to be, to look up to, to learn from and to talk to.”

Playing under Khalid Jamil

Murray was asked about his thoughts on playing under Khalid Jamil. He said that the tactician is one of the main reasons behind him rejoining the club. “One of the main reasons I came here was not just only because of the club, it was also because of coach Khalid.

“He’s someone that I was intrigued by, with his plan and the way he wants to play football, allowing me to play my free-flowing game. He’s very much a confidence coach, which I’m very grateful for because obviously, football is also a lot of confidence as well as being confident in your own ability.” 

The 28-year-old also said that he has learned a lot from Jamil in just two weeks and is looking forward to playing under him. “It’s only been two weeks or so of me being at the club. So, I’ve got so much more to learn about his philosophy of football and the way he wants to play.”

Playing in India

Jordan Murray came to India during the 2020-21 season and the upcoming season will be his fourth in India. Jordan shared his thoughts about playing for three different ISL clubs and said that he has really enjoyed playing in India. “I’ve been lucky enough for a couple of clubs here in India. All clubs I’ve enjoyed being at. I think the biggest thing that I’ve enjoyed is the growth of football in India.

“From when I first came to Kerala to now at Jamshedpur, my second stint here, football’s grown. It’s developed. It’s allowed young players to flourish and to get Indian football on the map because I think that’s the biggest thing that I’ve found – Indian football hasn’t been on the back of the world.” 

He also spoke about the appointment of Manolo Marquez as the head coach of the Indian national men’s team and said that the team is now in really good hands. “Now I think India has a really good opportunity in terms of the national team with Manolo. He’s a fantastic guy, but he’s also a great coach and everyone’s seen his work at multiple clubs.

“So for me, I think India are in really good hands. This is a really good opportunity for India to do well. But in terms of the league, I think India has grown with football. It’s allowed young players to make a name and older players to teach younger players. Obviously, foreign players coming in are enjoying it.”

Jordan Murray also added, “There’s many Australians now coming here. I was one of only a few to come to India. I had no regrets about that. I loved every second of being here. It’s practically my second home.

“But I’ve been lucky enough to play for some fantastic clubs with some rich history. I’m hoping that I can bring another title to Jamshedpur in another really good season, promote young players coming through and hopefully have these young players at this club playing for the national team.”

Youngsters coming up

While sharing his views on young Indian players, the striker from Down Under said that he has really been impressed with the level of young players that are coming up through the ranks. “I’ve been really impressed. A lot of young players come through and you’ve seen some really good players, you see some really good individual brilliance and great goals.

Thoughts on fellow Australian players

Murray was asked about his opinion on the other Australian attackers in the league, such as Jason Cummings, Dimitri Petratos and the A-League’s all-time top scorer Jamie Maclaren. “They are all fantastic players. All played for the national team. They’re all players that I look at as well that I want to compare myself with.

“I want to be up there with them. I know Jamie quite well. Fantastic footballer; a real predator inside the box. I think the league’s lucky to have someone like him. I’m sure that you’ll see during the season just what he’s capable of.” 

He also said, “These are top players that have played in the A-League for a long time. So for me, it’s about trying to compete. That’s going to be my biggest test this year is to compete with them in trying to achieve my goal of scoring as many goals as possible.”

Tune in to witness the best of Indian football as top teams compete for glory in this iconic tournament. Catch the prestigious 133rd IndianOil Durand Cup LIVE on Sony Sports Ten 2 SD & HD channels.

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