Jamshedpur FC head coach Scott Cooper remains cautious as his team prepares to face FC Goa away at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa, on Monday.

The Men of Steel currently hold the 10th position in the table, securing five points from six games, with one win, two draws, and three losses this season.

On the other hand, FC Goa sits comfortably in second place with 13 points from their initial five games, boasting an unbeaten record with four wins and a draw.

The Irish-English head coach acknowledges the formidable challenge that the Gaurs present to his team. He recognizes their strength and values the contribution of the opponent head coach.

“FC Goa were number one in the table until Kerala Blasters FC went on top last night so they are a good team. They're a good team. They have a good coach who performed well in Hyderabad. Thus, we expect a very tough game,” Cooper stated in the pre-match press conference.

Jamshedpur FC have earned just one point from their last three games and hasn't been in their best form lately. The 53-year-old coach doesn't feel too disappointed yet because he believes there is still a long way to go in this season.

“It is still too early in the season to get carried away with anything. You could get carried away if you are at the top, you could get worried if you are at the bottom,” he said.

“The truth is, the table doesn't reflect anything yet,” the head coach added.

Cooper aims to adhere to his coaching philosophy and intends to continue refining it, believing that such efforts will yield improved results in the upcoming matches.

“There will be no change in my philosophy. People already know how I coach, and how our team plays. If you are talking about formations, we can change but if you are talking about philosophy it is never going to change,” he opined.

Jamshedpur FC have scored only four goals while conceding six this season. Despite being one of the most attacking sides, they have struggled to convert promising goal-scoring opportunities.

Cooper emphasizes the importance of trusting the process and maintaining the team's current approach for the remainder of the season.

“We create a lot of good chances. We are playing good football. We have to just trust in the process that chances are going to get converted at one point,” Cooper said.

Jamshedpur FC boasts a lineup rich in young talent, with numerous changes made to their squad this season. Cooper believes that with time, his team will further gel together and will become an even more formidable threat to other teams in the future.

“The team is just going to get better. There are a lot of new players, young players, a lot of new ISL players so there is a lot of learning happening. I am also learning myself as a coach,” Cooper said.

“So we are just going to get more and more dangerous. We already create more chances than most teams we play against. So for us, it is about continuing in the same way,” Cooper said.

Japanese midfielder Rei Tachikawa accompanied head coach Scott Cooper in the pre-match press conference. He has delivered impressive performances in the league so far. 

Tachikawa has netted one goal and created 11 chances so far, and the midfielder remains determined to continue his hard work and fulfil his role for the team.

“Every game is the same feeling for me. I just (try) give my hundred per cent every game and do my job,” Tachikawa said.

“I hope that the other players have the same feeling,” he added.

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Jamshedpur FCFC Goa2023-2024