Jamil stokes Jamshedpur's fire with cast-offs and youngsters

Like at Aizawl FC and then NorthEast United, the coach has forged the squad into a fiery, fighting unit

- Dhiman Sarkar

KOLKATA: "In the first half if the score was 4-0 for them, it would have been fair." Manolo Marquez's assessment of the 1-3 defeat to Jamshedpur FC, one that ended FC Goa's unbeaten run of 12 games, said it all.

The defeat meant Khalid Jamil had done the double on the man who also coaches the senior national team and has won the Indian Super League (ISL). It was Jamshedpur's eighth win in 10 home matches in ISL 11. "You come to the furnace, you get burnt," said Eric Paartalu on commentary.

The result took Jamshedpur FC to second place, a position they can reclaim if they win in Bengaluru on Sunday. After finishing second from bottom in the last two seasons, Jamshedpur have 34 points from 18 games. There are six matches to go but barring 2021-22 when Jamshedpur won the league shield, this has been their best season.

Clearly, Jamil has not lost his touch. Clearly, what he did with Aizawl FC and NorthEast United was no fluke. "Incredible narrations," is how Mukul Choudhari, CEO of Jamshedpur FC, described Jamil winning the I-League with Aizawl in 2016-17 and being the only Indian coach to make the ISL semi-finals in 2020-21.

"We haven't done anything yet," said Jamil, speaking from Jamshedpur over a video call. Which journey was harder, this or the one with NorthEast United? "I can tell you after it is confirmed," he deadpanned.