Jamshedpur FC All-time ISL XI: Farukh, Tiri make impression

The Men of Steel started out well finishing fifth in their first two seasons in the top tier.

Home to the famous Tata Football Academy (TFA), it was a new dawn for the city and its football culture when Jamshedpur FC was formed in 2017. The city's football fans finally got a club to support in the ISL after years of developing top Indian talents.

Despite being the only club in ISL to have their own stadium coupled with many facilities, the Men of Steel have failed to make it to the play-offs in the last three seasons. The team has had some exceptional Indian and foreign players in this short time but none of them could inspire Jamshedpur FC to take the next step in Indian football.

With two fifth-place finishes in their first two seasons the club showed vigour to finish in top four. However, last season under Antonio Iriondo they finished eighth on the points table registering only four wins throughout the season.

Keeping in mind the performances, we have compiled an all-time XI for the Men of Steel.

Goalkeeper: Subrata Paul

Subrata Paul had been associated with Jamshedpur FC ever since its inception and is automatically a unanimous option under the bar.

The 33-year-old veteran custodian featured 49 times for the Men of Steel and was a fan-favourite through the years. Paul was one of the most consistent performers for the club mainly during the first two seasons. He recently left Jamshedpur FC to join Hyderabad FC for the 2020-21 season.

Right-Back: Robin Gurung

The defender makes our series for the second time. He was very efficient at NorthEast United FC and during his time at Jamshedpur FC, he has been the go-to man during difficult situations. Robin has played in multiple positions in defence and has delivered in each position.

The 27-year-old is an experienced player and has handled pressure well at Jamshedpur FC. Robin Gurung joined the club in 2017 and has since made 26 appearances for the Men of Steel as one of the most trusted man in the back-line.

Centre-Back: Tiri

Tiri was a proven player in India after he won the ISL title with ATK in 2016. Therefore, Jamshedpur FC brought him in 2017 and he became one of the colossal figures for the Men of Steel in his three years at the club. He has featured in 49 matches for Jamshedpur FC and has often led the team sporting the captain's armband.

Tiri left the club after the end of last season and his consistent performances and leadership skills make him one of the best foreign defenders in ISL history.

Centre-Back: Memo Moura

The Brazilian is one of the most loyal and longest-serving foreigners on Indian soil. Memo has been selfless over the years for the Men of Steel. He started out as a defensive midfielder and gradually slotted in as a centre-back last season.

He has been a crucial player at Jamshedpur FC for all the three coaches, as he brings a sense of calmness in his play. The 32-year-old has been fearless with his approach in his 57 matches for the club is easily one of the best defenders to don the club's colours.

Left Back: Bikash Jairu

Another utility player who could play anywhere on the field. The midfielder who can also slot in as a full-back is another member of the core unit at Jamshedpur FC.

Since joining them in 2017, Jairu has recorded 37 appearances for the Men of Steel, playing in various positions from midfield to defence. His game awareness coupled with his energy to work tirelessly helped him grow in stature as a player. However, he has left the club and will be donning the Red and Gold of East Bengal next season.

Centre Defensive-Midfielder: Aitor Monroy

The Spanish midfielder joined the club in 2019 and was the only shining light in the midfield last season. Despite the disappointing performances, Monroy was the only foreigner who put in top numbers by pulling the strings from midfield and also restoring possession for the Men of Steel. Had he got more help from his teammates, especially the foreigners, it would have been a different story altogether for Jamshedpur FC.

At the end of the season, Monroy's numbers were staggering, he registered 1129 passes (third highest) coupled with 114 tackles (second highest) which make him eligible to be on this list.

Centre Defensive-Midfielder: Mario Arques

The second Spaniard in the double pivot beside Aitor Monroy has to be Mario Arques. The 28-year-old midfielder joined Jamshedpur FC in 2018 and became a vital cog in Cesar Ferrando's side which nearly missed out on the play-offs that season.

Arques' wide passing range and his ability to initiate buildups from midfield allowed players like Sergio Cidoncha and Carlos Calvo to play freely. Arques then joined Kerala Blasters but injuries weren't kind to him as he could only appear for six matches last season.

Right Winger: Jerry Mawihmingthanga

The winger joined Jamshedpur FC in 2017 from DSK Shivajians and grew in stature slowly at the club during his second season under Cesar Ferrando.

Jerry featured in 30 appearances for the club and was a tireless runner on the right flank. Jamshedpur FC gave the 23-year-old the platform he deserved to grow as a player by playing day in and out against top professionals. Jerry joined Odisha FC in 2019 and was influential for them last season.

Centre Attacking-Midfielder: Farukh Choudhury

https://youtu.be/hooATnziPaw

Another player who has been with the club since inception and Farukh has gone onto become one of the most talked about strikers in Indian football. He joined the club as a youngster and will now leave as a matured player.

Farukh's strength is his versatility in the attack which allows him to fit in varied systems. The 23-year-old forward made 47 appearances for the Men of Steel scoring thrice and also providing five assists during his time. He is set to join Mumbai City FC for the upcoming season.

Left Winger: Michael Soosairaj

A lot of people may call him one season wonder but Soosairaj's brilliance during the 2018-19 season made him a fan-favourite in Indian football. The midfielder showed his class in ISL for the first time with Jamshedpur FC and was an immediate hit.

Starting with his ball control to his trickery and finally, his decisiveness in the final third made him one of the first names on the team list for Ferrando. Although Soosairaj only featured in 14 matches, he registered four goals that season before joining ATK.

Striker: Sergio Castel

Sergio Castel joined Jamshedpur FC in 2019 and established himself as a very important player for Antonio Iriondo. Loaned out from Atletico Madrid B, he showed his class right from the start, finding the back of the net consistently.

Castel combined well with Piti and as the duo started looking lethal for opposition defenders, Piti got injured and Castel followed him to the treatment table soon. In his absence, Jamshedpur FC lacked a proper goalscorer upfront which eventually resulted in them finishing eighth in the points table. However, despite playing only 11 matches last season, Castel scored seven goals.

Head Coach: Cesar Ferrando

Under the experienced Spaniard, Jamshedpur FC looked like a solid unit in the 2018-19 season. They were fluid in their buildup and also found the net efficiently while having a decent defence.

Ferrando's men started the season with a bang and were in play-offs contention throughout the league. However, NorthEast United sneaked past the Men of Steel only by a point to finish in top four. Despite finishing fifth, that was the only season where Jamshedpur FC looked like a team to beat and the management should have convinced Ferrando to stay for longer.