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It’s been a dramatic season for Owen Coyle and his men – some power-packed performances on the pitch to quarantine to then coming back up again to number two, the team has been through it all. With Jamshedpur now entering the final set of fixtures with their first game of February against an in-form Bengaluru FC, where is the team standing mentally, physically ahead of the game?
In the pre-match press conference, Head Coach Owen Coyle talks about it all.
On the team’s character despite the obstacles faced in the season…
We know about the character, the desire and the quality that we have and that is why we are at this position at this moment. But what we want to do is seize the job through and we know we have some games left to play, so we want to capitalize in those games to get as many points in the bag, and we have the opportunity to attain those points and be the team at the #1 position. We’re obviously on a winning run with 3 wins back-to-back and we want to move ahead trying to aim to make it 4 heading into a tough game against Bengaluru FC. The lads have been through all the trials and tribulations and they earned themselves a real credit along with all the staff, board of chairmans and directors.
What we have to do now is keep thriving forward and stick together as that is our strength. We do everything as a group which is very evident as we can see it on the field and we must continue to do that. There are some tough games ahead of us and we’re really looking forward to playing them.
On the revised fixture schedule of Jamshedpur FC for the remainder of the season…
The fixtures were going to be played in at some point of time in the season and every opposition we were supposed to play against are still going to be the same, so it does not matter that much if we play them in our first game or the last game, which is now scheduled to be played against ATK Mohun Bagan with the changed date of March 7 which was originally scheduled for 3rd March. So, it is what it is and it is going to be a tough set of fixtures ahead and that is exactly why everyone loves the ISL. It is a fantastic league with very qualified players, coaches and the main product is that the ISL is getting better every year and we have to play our part as Jamshedpur FC is a club that has never been in the playoffs.
So, that is our motivation, our aim and our drive for this season, to finish as high in the league table as we can, and every game is going to be a tough one. But as I said before, to achieve and win things, you have to be a very good team and we obviously have some tight fixtures up ahead but equally the teams in the league know how tough it is to play against the Jamshedpur FC side. So, we’re looking forward to the upcoming fixtures.
On Chima’s debut performance for Jamshedpur FC…
It always feels nice after registering a win but I have said this before as well that I have brought Daniel Chima to the club because of his qualities. He’s a terrific footballer, a champion who has won leagues in Norway with club Molde at a high level, has also played in China and some other tough leagues. He’s always shown his qualities and what an amazing player he is. Nothing will change my belief in that as from the outset of the season we have watched his games in SC East Bengal, he was ploughed a furrow and was left isolated in the attacking positions. But we don’t do that here in Jamshedpur FC, we get people in and around the box, we are positive and we are very attack-minded which makes Daniel Chima, a great addition, not because he scored the winning goal but because of his all-around performances which I knew of before that game. So, he’s only going to get better and stronger as the season progresses with Ishan Pandita and Jordan Murray to help him out in that position. Daniel Chima is certainly a great addition to the squad and it is great to see the quality that he has.
On injury concerns…
Jordan missed out on the last game due to Covid and has now picked up an injury as well along with the other 4-5 injury concerns in the team because we have been in our rooms for two weeks and then tried to train for big matches, which lead to injuries. So, that is another challenge for us but we are going to overcome these challenges because that is the challenge that football brings for you and one has to be ready to adapt and solve problems, which is what this group of players do. So, it is fair to say that there will be a few players missing in the game against Bengaluru FC.
On the team’s approach against a strong Bengaluru FC side…
It does not surprise me to see Bengaluru FC elevating themselves up the league table recently. We drew the last time we played against them and I said before and after the game that they were a very good side with an outstanding coach, somebody who is a nice man with really amazing footballing abilities which is very important and that also rubs off on the staff who were there in the club last year. So they are a very good team with an amazing staff along with good individual players; the team has always worked very hard and that is pretty evident in their performances. They have developed few of their young players as well with young Roshan coming in as a full-back going leaps and bounds and for me he is probably the best young Indian player in the league who is talented and consistent with his techniques. So they have some wonderful players, but so do we and I am looking forward to a very good game against a very strong team with amazing players. Sunil Chettri has come back to his form now as all good players do. Players like him always bounce back and I am pleased for him because of his qualities and the career he has had and I think he came under a lot of unfair criticism but that is a remark of a strong player who picks himself up and he has done that, so all credits to him and his club. So we will be going against a team with wonderful players. Alan Costa has come back, Cleiton Silva is on the team who is a wonderful player. So it is going to be a tough game with our skipper suspended as well. There are challenges but that is what the leagues bring in and we will be ready for the game which we are really looking forward to going toe-to-toe against a very good team with two very positive attack minded sides trying to win a tough game.
On the chances of Eli Sabia or Anas replacing the skipper in his absence…
Eli is back and available now after missing out on the previous game due to Covid as did a number of other players. That is why there was a tremendous amount of effort put in by our group against FC Goa who played their 2 games while we were sitting idle stuck in our hotel rooms and had little or almost no training prior to the game but we came out and gave a fantastic performance to win the 3 points and that is what we have to do again. So it is great to have Eli back in the squad with young Narender available as well who had a small niggle but hopefully we can get him available in the squad; only time will tell on that. At present, we have 4-5 players who could miss the game but that gives the others the opportunity to step in and that is what we will look to do.
On the team’s aim going forward…
We will aim to be as high in the table as we possibly can be. So we will aim for the first spot just like every other team as well but if not the first then aim for the second position and if not second then in the third or fourth place. But, our aim is like everybody else, to be the best that we could be and the only way to do that is by winning games and getting those valuable 3 points. We’ve seen a lot drawn matches in the season and we make sure that if we are drawing then we aim to go for the win but it is equally important to keep picking up points, particularly at this point because every team is going to go at each other as every game is a huge game with so many teams involved in the chase to win.
That is why we have to take care of our own business and make sure that we get to the standard that we have set for ourselves at Jamshedpur FC this season and keep striving to win those points and see where it takes us after the 20 games. Our ambitions do not change as we want to be as high on the table as we possibly can.
