ISL 2018-19: 5 Key Players for Jamshedpur FC This Season
Jamshedpur FC made their debut in the previous edition of the Indian Super League as their owners -- Tata Steel -- won the bidding rights for one of the two expansion spots (the other one being won by Bengaluru FC). The Men of Steel were really impressive and were even expected of making it to the play-offs but ended up finishing at the 5th spot with 26 points, behind Pune City FC which had 30 points.
Stephen James Coppell or simply Steve Coppell was the coach for Jamshedpur last season but will be seen plying his trade with the Red and Whites, ATK, this time around.
The Men of Steel conceded just 18 goals last season -- the 2nd lowest by any team. However, they were also the joint 2nd lowest goalscorers as they managed to score only 16.
A lot has changed since then and Jamshedpur FC will be hopeful of more high-octane matches in the upcoming ISL season. There have been multiple changes which have been made to the backroom staff as well as the squad. With these changes, the management aims to keep the team as cohesive and resilient in the defense as they were last season but change things for the better offensively.
U-17 World Cup Indian stalwarts Amarjit Singh Kiyam (captain of the U-17 team) & Aniket Jadhav were signed by the Men of Steel but they won't be seen donning Jamshedpur FC colours this season as they were loaned to the AIFF to play for Indian Arrows in a bid to groom them further.
Midfielder Bikash Jairu; centre-back Pratik Chaudhuri; goalkeeper Subhasish Roy Chowdhury; defenders Raju Gaikwad, Dhanachandra Singh, and Sanjay Balmuchu; Spanish trio of Carlos Calvo, Pablo Morgado, and Sergio Cidoncha -- are the promising new additions to the Tata Steel-owned club for the upcoming season. Whether they will bring about a change in fortune for the club, only time will tell.
The Red Miners will be delighted with the new-look of their team, especially with the signing of Tim Cahill, who in my opinion is the biggest signing of this season. Jamshedpur FC will begin their campaign this season against Mumbai City FC on 2nd October.
Also Read - ISL 2018-19: Jamshedpur FC Fixtures, Time and Venue Details
In this article, we take a look at five players who will play a pivotal role in deciding the fate of the Jamshedpur FC this season.
#5 Subrata Paul (Goalkeeper)
The veteran custodian Subrata Paul, who had represented Jamshedpur FC last season as well, has bags of experience in his kitty. He is one of the most respected goalkeepers of all time and has even represented the Indian national team 66 times and will be seen between the sticks for the Men of Steel once more.
Subrata has plied his trade with NorthEast United and Mumbai City FC in previous editions of the ISL. He has even played for the two Kolkata giants -- Mohun Bagan and East Bengal -- in the past and boasts of an impressive record.
The West Bengal-born player was the first choice goalkeeper for Jamshedpur last season and is expected to be their guardian in goal this time as well, even though they do have an extremely able back up option in Subhasish Roy Chowdhury.
The 31-year-old was one the key reasons Jamshedpur conceded such little goals. In the 18 matches he played, Subrata conceded only 15 goals, and made 44 saves, averaging almost 2.5 saves per game. Subrata got the Golden Glove award last season for his exploits. It took the opposition 102.47 minutes to score a goal against Paul. He also maintained 7 clean sheets last season for the Men of Steel and would be expected to do the same this time as well.
It was a great decision by Jamshedpur to retain the reliable custodian and football fanatics will hope to see some gravity-defying saves from him this season as well.