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After two matches on the road, Jamshedpur FC finally play their first league game at home on October 5 against Hyderabad FC. Scott Cooper faced the media in Jamshedpur ahead of the crucial clash at JRD Tata Sports Complex.
On the previous result’s impact on this game…
I think we can say two things about our last game – right performance, wrong result. And we’re in the results business. But I think we can take a lot of positives from the way we were brave in the last game, where we pressed, where we kept the ball. As I said in the meantime, I don’t think we deserve to lose that game. We maybe didn’t deserve to draw the game, but that’s sometimes football, right? And so sometimes you have to take down the chin and move on, move forward. And I can say I’m not worried about our team.
There are a few things we need to iron out. We are sort of misfiring and we’ve got to get that right. But I think it looks very encouraging and positive. I think Jamshedpur fans can be excited happy with the style of play.
On any injuries in the squad…
We had, Ritwik our, who is fans’ favorite. I know a lot of fans love him. He’s a great player. We were concerned because he’d got a knee injury but he’s been cleared to play which is good news for us. Other than that, there are no injury concerns. We will have to be careful about how we bring him in though, as we don’t want to risk him. We will assess and see if he is fit to play immediately or not.
On his playing philosophy…
People expected us to sit back beyond the halfway line and mid low block and hang on when we were about to play in Kerala. But we surprised everyone there. You’ll never get that with me as a coach. You’ll never get that. I will always go out and attack, no matter home or away. We’re going to attack. We’re going to play good football, we’re going to be proactive, and we will never be boring. That’s one thing I can assure fans.
On Alen’s influence on the game…
The way I look at the game is different. I look at details that many may turn a blind eye to. Like 85-90% of the pressing in the previous game was due to Alen’s control of the forward line as he kept influencing on the timing of when to go high, when to squeeze and when to play. That’s not easily identifiable. His position is great, he is technically and tactically sound. He is fantastic with all type of players, young, experience, international – he has made a positive impact on all. And yes, his goals will come in time too. You will see much more from him as the season progresses.
On Set Piece Tactics…
From the defending front, we have not given our opponents any chances from set pieces. We have been absolutely solid. In terms of attack, my teams have always been strong at set pieces. Our set pieces have been delivered at the right places, but we have been unfortunate to not have got a goal yet through it. I am not worried about it though as we have been threatening, and you will see the results soon.
And set pieces are critical for any team. In most leagues, 30-40% of goals come from set pieces, another 20-30% from mistakes and the rest from open play.
On playing at The Furnace tomorrow.
I don’t mind starting away from home as it takes the pressure away. We should have had 4 points from the first two games but we have only one. But playing at home in front of the vociferous fans of Jamshedpur is what I specially signed up for. We spoke of the unity that exists here, at the club, in the city, in the people, in the media here as well. I want to feel that unity tomorrow night. I want to feel that and make the opposition feel like they are really at the Furnace and make every opposition that comes here, uncomfortable. They need to know it’s not an easy place to come and play. We want opposition teams to fear to come here and have all the fans unite and make it feel like a real Furnace.
I want us to create a situation where teams that come here to play know that the fans drive the team’s performance in a way that makes it a tough venue to play at and makes Jamshedpur a tough team, an almost impossible team to beat at home.
For me it’s everybody coming together, and the end product is that the 11 players on the field as well as all others off it produce a performance that will reward the fans and that will respond to the fans for their amazing support here.
On having experienced players like Pronay Halder in the team.
Pronay is a very experienced player and in the first two games he was so good, he drove and controlled the Jamshedpur FC midfield. When you have players like him around, you don’t have to tell them much. In fact, Pronay was one of the first players to come to me after the previous match where he said that we played well and we must win the next game. And that’s exactly what I want from players like Pronay. That’s the expectation from the likes of him, Alen, Pratik, Rehenesh – to lead from the front and be driven by passion to win every game in front of them.
