"Painful to be eliminated in a semi-final, but we can't stop" - Jamshedpur centre-back Elsinho puts Super Cup disappointment behind him | ISL 2023-24
Jamshedpur FC stunned everyone with their spirited performance in the 2024 Kalinga Super Cup, especially after their indifferent showing in the Indian Super League this season.
One of the main reasons why they did so well in the Cup was the presence of Brazilian centre-back Elsinho in the heart of their defense.
The 32-year-old, who arrived at the club ahead of the ongoing season, has been rock-solid for them and ensured that very few attackers have gone past him.
Speaking to Sportskeeda ahead of the Red Miners' home game against NorthEast United on Wednesday, January 31, Elsinho was confident that his team can do well in the second phase of the ISL.
"Our team is well-motivated for this second phase of the competition. We have to take advantage of the fact that we will have more home games to get the points needed to qualify for the playoffs of the ISL," Elsinho said.
Elsinho also talked about Jamshedpur's disappointing 2-0 defeat against eventual champions East Bengal FC in the semifinals of the Super Cup.
"It's very painful to be eliminated in a semi-final, but as you mentioned, we can't stop. We still have important games ahead of us and we have to focus on that now, in the ISL," he added.
"When there is this type of change, the new coach has to arrive and give a dose of adrenaline to the squad" - Elsinho on new head coach Khalid Jamil
In the short time that he has been at the club, Elsinho has become one of the leaders in the dressing room. His guidance from the centre of the Red Miners' defense has given them the direction to perform with composure and confidence.
Jamshedpur FC will have to raise their performances in the ISL considerably to climb up the standings. At the time of writing, they are ranked 10th in the league with just nine points from 12 matches this season.
"I say, let's start this second phase with a very difficult objective. But we are well prepared psychologically to face this reality. Hard work and a lot of focus is undoubtedly what we have in mind at the moment," Elsinho said.
Elsinho was also asked about the changes that new head coach Khalid Jamil has brought to the dressing room. Performance-wise, it seems to have lifted the morale of the Red Miners, as could be seen from their improved showing in the Super Cup.
"When there is this type of change, the new coach has to arrive and give a dose of adrenaline to the squad and I believe that Khalid Jamil has managed to do this well. Some players who hadn't been playing earlier have gained minutes and this has made the squad more competitive even in training. This is normal when there is this type of a change," he concluded.