Khalid Jamil stepped into the Jamshedpur FC dugout midway through the 2023-24 season at a time when the Indian Super League (ISL) club was struggling to find form and identity.

They had slipped down the ISL standings and looked a shadow of the side that had lifted the Shield in 2021-22. That year, Jamil’s arrival brought flashes of improvement but not enough to salvage the campaign as the Men of Steel finished 11th in the 2023-24 season.

Fast forward to his first full season in charge and the transformation was undeniable. Jamil reignited belief in a squad that had endured a difficult run of seasons. The result was a campaign full of grit, drama and achievements, so much so that by the time he left the club in August 2025, he departed with his reputation and legacy firmly intact.

That said, here’s a look at Jamil’s finest moments with JFC.

1) From 11th to the playoffs

In 2024-25, Jamshedpur FC returned to the ISL playoffs for the first time since their Shield-winning campaign. The route there wasn’t smooth. In fact, the numbers tell a story of a team that refused to do things the easy way.

Jamshedpur FC suffered 10 defeats in the league, the most of any side in the top six and managed only two draws, the fewest in the league. But that stat also revealed something deeper. Jamil’s team never played for safety. They went out to win every single game and their 12 victories reflected that high-risk, high-reward mentality.

Defensively, they were far from watertight, conceding 43 goals, the joint second-worst in the league. Yet when it mattered most, they found a way to deliver in high-pressure moments. From an 11th-place finish the previous season to finishing fifth and booking a playoff berth, the turnaround was remarkable.

Jamil’s fingerprints were all over the revival. Key players rediscovered form, new signings slotted in seamlessly and the JRD Tata Sports Complex once again became a daunting place for visiting sides.

2) Semi-final win against MBSG

If the league season was a testament to their consistency, the semi-finals showed Jamil’s knack for inspiring his team on the big stage.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant entered the 2024-25 playoffs as overwhelming favourites. They had just sealed the Shield with a record-breaking 17 wins and 56 points, looking almost untouchable. But Jamil’s Jamshedpur FC had other ideas.

In the first leg at the JRD Tata Sports Complex, the Mariners had equalised the score at 1-1. Yet deep into injury time, Javier Hernandez produced a moment of magic to restore Jamshedpur FC’s lead, sending the home crowd into delirium. It was the kind of late winner that encapsulated Jamil’s sides. One that never gives up, always fighting until the final whistle.

The return leg in Kolkata was a bigger test. MBSG pushed hard, managing just one goal to level the aggregate score, but Jamshedpur FC’s defence held firm under relentless pressure despite key players missing. The tie looked destined for extra time until an injury-time goal sealed a dramatic 3-2 aggregate win for the Mariners and ended Jamshedpur FC’s campaign.

Even in defeat, the Men of Steel earned plaudits for going toe to toe with the league’s most dominant team and pushing them closer to the brink than most had managed all season. They were among the three sides that managed to beat the Mariners in the ISL last season.

3) Making their mark in cup competitions

While Jamil impressed with JFC in the ISL, his success in cup competitions was equally significant. In the Kalinga Super Cup 2025, he led Jamshedpur FC to their first-ever final. Along the way, they knocked out heavyweights like NorthEast United FC and Mumbai City FC. Jamshedpur FC did not concede a single goal until the final, where they succumbed to a 3-0 defeat.

Jamil also made history in the Durand Cup 2025, guiding the Men of Steel to the knockout stage with a perfect record in the group phase. It was a stark contrast to their previous four campaigns, in which they had failed to qualify.

For a club that had struggled for consistency in knockout competitions, making the Kalinga Super Cup final and producing a flawless Durand Cup group stage in the same year marked a major step forward.

In just over a season and a half, Jamil transformed their fortunes, delivered results and set a new benchmark for what the club could achieve. The next chapter for Jamshedpur FC will be about building on this momentum. But one thing is certain that the standards Jamil set will not be easily forgotten.