Jamshedpur FC head coach Khalid Jamil anticipates a tough game against Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) on Sunday and has warned his players against taking the game lightly. 

The Men of Steel are fresh from a stunning comeback win against Mumbai City FC and will look to leapfrog Bengaluru FC into sixth place with a victory on Sunday. 

Jamshedpur FC have been in fine form since Khalid Jamil took over, reaching the semi-finals of the Kalinga Super Cup and being unbeaten in the two games in ISL so far. 

Jamil though feels the credit for their success goes entirely to the players. 

“The players are working very hard. The foreign players are very mature, the Indian players are doing good. The seniors and the juniors are pulling together, so it's a mixed effort,” he said at the pre-match press conference. 

“All the good results that we have got are due to the players. I just motivate them,” he added. 

With just a point separating the two teams, Jamil expects a very close battle and wants his team to be at their very best against the Blues. 

“It is a difficult game. We are playing against Bengaluru FC who are playing well. They were good in their last game. They have many experienced players like Sunil Chhetri. They have top foreign players and they have a good coach,” he said. 

“We can't take it easy. We have to fight to get a positive result against Bengaluru FC,” he added. 

The 46-year-old is happy to be at the helm at Jamshedpur FC and is pleased with the support the management has afforded to the team as they look to make a tilt at the playoff spots. 

“It's my pleasure to be the coach here. This is the first time that I am getting all the facilities that a football player needs. So, I want to grab this opportunity and give my best. The management is supporting us, so there is nothing negative to say,” Jamil said. 

“We are just focusing on the next match. Then we will think about the next match. It will be better to go step by step. We have to make the most of our home games. The target is to perform well,” he added. 

The former NorthEast United FC head coach urged the fans to turn up in large numbers as he believes their support makes a big difference to the team. 

“We need the fans' support. The players can't perform at the same level without fans. With them, the player gives extra and is motivated and also has a pressure to perform,” he said. 

Jamil has been known to produce teams that make great use of set-pieces but Jamshedpur FC are yet to do that under his tenure, an area he feels needs improvement. 

“We need to work on our set pieces. We did work on the attacking set pieces and have tried to add some variation. We haven't had a lot of time as the games have been continuous. But we will do better in future,” he added.

Always wanted to be part of the first team: Nikhil Barla

Jamshedpur FC forward Nikhil Barla accompanied Khalid Jamil to the pre-match press conference and suggested it to be a dream to play for the first team. 

“It's a good feeling for me. I am from Tata Football Academy and have seen the senior Jamshedpur FC team train. I always wanted to be a part of it and now that I made it, it feels special,” he said. 

“I am very motivated and I get to learn a lot from the players and the coaches,” he signed off.

Related tags:

Jamshedpur FC2023-2024