Jamshedpur FC to play friendlies as part of preseason

Players and support staff expected to assemble by August 15

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, August 1: Jamshedpur FC will be playing friendlies as part of preseasons in lead-up to the cash rich Hero Indian Super League 2022-23 season.

The Tata Steel-owned club is in talks with some ISL teams who would be coming to the Jamshedpur to play the friendlies. The preseasons is expected to start in middle of August at the Flalet ground in Kadma locality. The Men of Steel will also travel outstation to play friendlies.

“We are in talks with some ISL clubs for the friendlies against us. The picture should be clear in due course of time,”a member of the JFC team management said on condition of anonymity. SC East Bengal and ATK Mohan Bagan are the likely teams for the friendlies versus Jamshedpur.

The Red Miners, which emerged the League Shield Winners in the last edition of ISL in Goa, is keen to continue with last season’s formo and, for that new chief coach Aidy Boothroyd would like to put his wards in intensive training sessions. This apart, The Englishman would also like to put his boys in match practice mode (friendlies).

Owen bid good-bye to Jamshedpur since he wanted to spend time with his family in Scotland. He has joined a club at his home country. Owen lifted the Jamshedpur side to 6th place in 2020-21, just 4 points shy off the top-4 places and later in 2021-22 propelled them to the top of the table with a historic Hero ISL League Shield Winners’ campaign where his team smashed and steamrolled upon records.

Aidy, who took over from Owen Coyle, has a tough task in hand. Like his predecessor, Aidy will need to shepherd young Indian players, repose confidence in them and put them on the big stage (read ISL matches). Keeping his experience mind, Aidy is expected to put his best foot forward and guide JFC to glory in the upkeeping  tournament.

Jamshedpur has played friendlies on earlier occassions and the exercise is going to continue this time too.”Playing friendlies is of paramount importance for us. The squad, including the support staff, is expected to assemble in Jamshedpur by August 15.So we need to to line up the friendlies. We’ll start the training which will be followed by friendlies in due course of time. The Flatlet ground is ready to welcome the players and the support staff,” another JFC team management member said.

The Men of Steel has signed (and also retained) most of players, including foreigners. A few slots remain to be filled. The club wants to stitch up a crack unit and put in yet another impressive show in the ISL.