Coming into their second season of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL), Jamshedpur FC will be looking to build on their impressive debut campaign when they narrowly missed a playoff spot. With head coach Cesar Ferrando taking over after Steve Coppell’s departure and some quality inclusions to the squad, most notably Tim Cahill, a top four finish will be the primary agenda for Jamshedpur this year.

Here, we review the club’s chances and preparation for the 2018-19 season of the Hero ISL.

TRANSFER INS AND OUTS
Australian legend Tim Cahill joined Jamshedpur in what was arguably the most high-profile signing of the summer transfer window. The former Everton attacker will undoubtedly bolster their attacking threat when he takes to the pitch for the new season. Cahill will be joined by Sergio Cidoncha upfront while Carlos Calvo and Pablo Morgado make up some of the other notable foreign recruits.

Former Chennaiyin veteran Dhanachandra Singh has been brought in to provide the much-needed experience after the departures of Anas Edathodika and Andre Bikey. Michael Soosairaj, who made a name for himself in the Hero I-League, has also been captured to add more attacking impetus.

AT THE HELM
With Coppell making the switch to ATK, Spaniard Cesar Ferrando was appointed as the new head coach during the summer. The 59-year-old has had coaching stints in Spain and Malaysia and will be looking for more success in India. Ferrando has made it clear that he intends to employ a possession-based style of play with his team as opposed to their defensive approach from the previous campaign.

Ferrando got the chance to interact with his new players for the first time during their pre-season trip to Madrid. The side did manage some encouraging results, including a 1-0 victory over Atletico de Madrid ‘B’. However, the Spanish coach will need more time with his players to implement his philosophy.

STRENGTHS
A hallmark of Jamshedpur’s debut season was their grit and defensive solidarity. The team was one of the stingiest at the back, barely affording opposition teams a sniff at goal. If Jamshedpur can maintain their defensive qualities from last season, while also getting the best out of their forward recruits, we could witness something special this time around.

Ferrando’s experience as well his footballing philosophy will also be another plus point for the club. If the side can quickly adjust to the new style, they can cause a host of problems for opposition teams.

AREAS OF CONCERN
While Jamshedpur were one of the finest sides defensively last season, they have lost two senior defenders in Bikey and Edathodika during the transfer window. The pair were instrumental at the heart of the defence and it remains to be seen if the side can cope without them this season.

SQUAD

GOALKEEPERS: Subrata Paul, Rafiq Ali, Subhasish Roy Chowdhury

DEFENDERS: Sanjay Balmuchu, Raju Gaikwad, Jose Luis Espinosa Arroyo (Tiri), Pratik Chowdhary, Robin Gurung, Dhanachandra Singh, Yumnam Raju, Karan Amin

MIDFIELDERS: Mario Arques, Pablo Morgado, Vishal Das, Jerry Mawhmingthanga, Mobashir Rahman, Carlos Calvo, Bikash Jairu, Emerson Gomes De Moura (Memo), Michael Soosairaj

FORWARDS: Farukh Choudhary, Sumeet Passi, Tim Cahill, Sergio Cidoncha, Gourav Mukhi

FINAL VERDICT
With a host of new signings this season, it will be interesting to watch Jamshedpur get going during the first few weeks. A new head coach also means a new and refreshing brand of football is on the cards, which will be anticipated by their fans. Debutants last year, the club will be hoping to get the best out of their players and go a step further than their previous results where they narrowly lost out on a spot in the playoffs.

Jamshedpur begin their 2018-19 Hero ISL campaign with an away encounter against Mumbai City FC on October 2. To view the fixtures, click here.

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Jamshedpur FC 2018-2019