Indian football has re-energised me: Jamshedpur FC head coach Aidy Boothroyd
Aidy Boothroyd took over the reins of Jamshedpur FC ahead of the 2022-23 season as a replacement for Owen Coyle. The Englishman, who had immense experience in European football, embarked on a new adventure in Asian football.
Aidy Boothroyd took over the reins of Jamshedpur FC ahead of the 2022-23 season as a replacement for Owen Coyle. The Englishman, who had immense experience in European football, embarked on a new adventure in Asian football.
The 52-year-old had a difficult start to his journey in Indian football as he took charge of the previous Hero ISL League winners. The Men of Steel endured an underwhelming season under his stewardship, finishing 10th in the Hero ISL points table. However, the side appeared to settle down in the latter stages of the season as they ended their Hero ISL campaign with an unbeaten streak of four games.
Jamshedpur FC continued their form in the Hero Super Cup and played some brilliant football. The Boothroyd-coached side advanced to the semi-finals with an all-win record in the group stage but was beaten 2-0 by Bengaluru FC in the semi-final.
After the end of JFC’s season, Boothroyd spoke about the Indian men’s national team and expressed his belief that the current FIFA ranking does not reflect India’s true potential.
“From what I’ve seen India could be better than where they are now,” Boothroyd said in an interview to Sportstar.
Throughout the season, the Jamshedpur FC head coach was highly impressed by some of the brightest stars of Indian Football. He praised the Indian players for showing strength and character and highlighted their potential to achieve more.
“The most important and the most positive thing about the Indian players is their character. They are willing to learn and want to be better. It’s about getting them to believe in themselves,” said the Englishman.
Boothroyd has extensive experience working with the England youth football team, having worked at different youth levels for nearly seven years. During his tenure, he worked with talented players such as Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka.
When asked about taking charge of the Indian junior or senior team, he said: “I would consider anything.”
Boothroyd shared his reason for joining Jamshedpur FC and also spoke more about his journey in Indian football. He expressed his joy at how Indian football has given his vast footballing career a new dimension.
“I think my time in Europe has been well spent. Coming here has opened my eyes to a brand new way of playing the game, and a brand new way of living. It has a different, vibrant culture, India has got me going again,” Boothroyd concluded.