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KOLKATA: Khalid Jamil will be facing off against his former club East Bengal as Jamshedpur FC take on the Kolkata giants in the first semifinal of Super Cup at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday.
Jamil was appointed as the interim coach of JFC after the team’s dismal performance during the first half of the Indian Super League season. Having played 12 matches, the Red Miners currently sit 10th on the table with just nine points.They have won two, drawn three and lost seven matches.
However, with his Midas touch Jamil has helped Jamshedpur turn things around and make it three wins in three matches in the group stages of Super Cup beating NorthEast United FC, Kerala Blasters and I-League side Shillong Lajong.
Speaking on the team’s success so far, Jamil sounded quite pleased and said, “It feels great that the team has been doing so well. All the players are working very hard. Most importantly everybody has the will to fight and do well.”
However, it will be a whole different challenge in the last-four stage as East Bengal will not come into the game as mere pushovers. Like Jamshedpur, they too have won all their group-stage matches and are on a high after beating arch rivals Mohun Bagan in their last match.
But Jamil is taking confidence from the players, especially the Indian youngsters, who have been performing well under him. “Nikhil Barla, Mohammad Sanan and Vishal Yadav have been doing well. Saphaba Singh Telem, who has come from the youth team into the senior side recently, has also been impressive,” said Jamil.
Also special mention should be made of Daniel Chima Chukwu, who scored three goals so far. He was a standout player when JFC won the Shield during the 2021-22 season and will have to keep up the good work if JFC are to go past East Bengal.
Asked what the team was lacking all this while as they struggled in ISL, Jamil said it’s all about motivation.
“Be it foreigners or Indians, the players are good. I just have to motivate them and make sure they work hard,” added the Indian coach who won the I-League with Aizawl FC in 2017-18. “I talk to them if they are feeling down and encourage them during the practice sessions. I tell them that they shouldn’t give up easily and keep trying.”
It has indeed worked wonders so far and one hopes Jamil will be able to keep the players in good spirits for the crucial knockout tie and make it to the final which they were unable to do last year after going down to Bengaluru FC in the last-four stage.
Jamil was appointed as the interim coach of JFC after the team’s dismal performance during the first half of the Indian Super League season. Having played 12 matches, the Red Miners currently sit 10th on the table with just nine points.They have won two, drawn three and lost seven matches.
However, with his Midas touch Jamil has helped Jamshedpur turn things around and make it three wins in three matches in the group stages of Super Cup beating NorthEast United FC, Kerala Blasters and I-League side Shillong Lajong.
Speaking on the team’s success so far, Jamil sounded quite pleased and said, “It feels great that the team has been doing so well. All the players are working very hard. Most importantly everybody has the will to fight and do well.”
However, it will be a whole different challenge in the last-four stage as East Bengal will not come into the game as mere pushovers. Like Jamshedpur, they too have won all their group-stage matches and are on a high after beating arch rivals Mohun Bagan in their last match.
But Jamil is taking confidence from the players, especially the Indian youngsters, who have been performing well under him. “Nikhil Barla, Mohammad Sanan and Vishal Yadav have been doing well. Saphaba Singh Telem, who has come from the youth team into the senior side recently, has also been impressive,” said Jamil.
Also special mention should be made of Daniel Chima Chukwu, who scored three goals so far. He was a standout player when JFC won the Shield during the 2021-22 season and will have to keep up the good work if JFC are to go past East Bengal.
Asked what the team was lacking all this while as they struggled in ISL, Jamil said it’s all about motivation.
“Be it foreigners or Indians, the players are good. I just have to motivate them and make sure they work hard,” added the Indian coach who won the I-League with Aizawl FC in 2017-18. “I talk to them if they are feeling down and encourage them during the practice sessions. I tell them that they shouldn’t give up easily and keep trying.”
It has indeed worked wonders so far and one hopes Jamil will be able to keep the players in good spirits for the crucial knockout tie and make it to the final which they were unable to do last year after going down to Bengaluru FC in the last-four stage.
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