Khalid Jamil to continue as Jamshedpur FC head coach; signs 2-year deal with the club
Jamshedpur FC have confirmed head coach Khalid Jamil, who served on an interim basis last season, will continue in his role after signing a two-year contract extension. He will stay at the club until the end of the 2025-26 season.
The Red Miners have placed their faith in an Indian coach, and it’s crucial to highlight that Jamil’s performance earned him this new contract. Following Scott Cooper’s departure midway through last season, Jamil took over and revitalized the squad, winning six of their final 12 games.
Although they didn’t qualify for the playoffs, it was a successful campaign considering their early-season struggles. Furthermore, he led Jamshedpur to the Super Cup semi-finals, defeating Kerala Blasters FC and NorthEast United FC along the way.
Speaking with the Jamshedpur FC media after signing the extension, the 47-year-old expressed his delight at extending his stay and noted that his vision aligns with the club’s ambitions.
“I’m excited, grateful and really happy today. We want to win the ISL. Our fans deserve it for the tremendous support they show every time. We are forming a team that will give their all to achieve this in every training session and match, both players and staff," he stated.
"When I spoke to the club management, we had a common vision on how we wanted to build from the last season and address the shortcomings. Jamshedpur has an amazing fan base with a huge legacy of football with the Tata Football Academy and the JSA League, which is now almost 80 years old," Jamil added.
Jamshedpur FC’s CEO Mukul Choudhari praised Jamil’s experience and hunger while adding that the club are heading in the right direction.
"We are delighted to have retained Khalid as our head coach. His involvement provides stability and clarity for the future and helps us all move forward together effectively. We are already working hard on all the preparations for the upcoming ISL season with Khalid the right person to take the club forward," Choudhari said (via JFC Media).
Jamshedpur FC will kick-start transfer market activity after announcing Khalid Jamil's extension
Jamshedpur FC remain one of the few clubs yet to start their activity in the transfer market. However, they have already seen four players move to Chennaiyin FC after their contracts expired.
Prolific scorer Daniel Chima Chukwu, defenders Elsinho Dias and Laldinpuia PC, and midfielder Jitendra Singh have all been snapped by Owen Coyle's Chennaiyin.
With further departures anticipated, the Red Miners are expected to be proactive in the transfer market in the coming days. Fortunately, Jamil’s knowledge of the squad and the players will help identify the types of profiles and signings they need.
Looking ahead, Jamshedpur FC will look to secure a top-six finish after narrowly missing out last season. They will rely on Jamil’s experience - having been the first Indian coach to lead an ISL team to a semi-final with NorthEast United FC in 2021 - to compete against the top teams.
Ultimately, as the only Indian head coach in the ISL, it will certainly be interesting to see how their season unfolds under Jamil’s leadership.