"They keep winning, don't they?" - Aidy Boothroyd previews Jamshedpur FC's ISL 2022-23 clash against Kerala Blasters
Jamshedpur FC will face Kerala Blasters at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi in their 12th Indian Super League (ISL) match of the season on Tuesday (January 3).
Jamshedpur FC, who are placed 10th in the ISL table, go into the game on the back of an eight-game winless run. They will be determined to return to winning ways against Kerala Blasters to keep their hopes of securing a playoff spot alive.
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Looking ahead to the game on Tuesday, Jamshedpur FC head coach Aidy Boothroyd admitted that he is aware of the threats posed by Kerala Blasters. However, he is hopeful that the Men of Steel can cause the hosts a few problems in the game. He began:
"They keep winning, don't they? They're doing very well. We're in different periods as clubs, I think. We're transitioning into a stronger team and they're doing very, very well in the league.
"I think, having played them once, we saw what a good team they are up close, but we hope we can give them a few problems as well to solve [on Tuesday]."
Jamshedpur FC have notably parted ways with defender Peter Hartley, who joined the club in September 2020. Asked what led to that decision, Boothroyd replied:
"I think we're custodians of our positions at clubs, players, as well as coaches. I just thought the time was right to freshen things up. Peter was a excellent servant to the club, but time goes on, life goes on. It was time to make a change."
Dylan Fox has arrived to take Hartley's place in the Jamshedpur FC squad. Boothroyd revealed that the defender is available for team selection against Kerala Blasters, saying:
"Dylan is available to be picked for tomorrow. Yes, he's with us. He's training hard. We're looking forward to seeing him more on a matchday."
Boothroyd went on to admit that he would like to see at least a couple more new players come through the doors at Jamshedpur FC during this transfer window. He explained:
"It was my decision to bring in some fresh blood. I think in terms of players coming in, we do need a couple more. When you lose your top goalscorer and top creator, it can be a problem."
The Englishman pointed out how losing Greg Stewart to Mumbai City FC has proved to be a huge blow to Jamshedpur FC. He said:
"Obviously, we've talked a lot about Greg Stewart and what a great player he was. You can see that he's a very good player in the league, probably the best player in the league.
"That's bound to damage any team when you lose a player like that, but we're rebuilding. We're going again and I'm really looking forward to the game tomorrow to see how far we've come in the short space of time."
Asked what Jamshedpur FC need to improve to be able to earn a positive result against Kerala Blasters, Boothroyd replied:
"We're creating chances, but we're not scoring goals. We've made some basic errors over the last 10 games, which we can iron out. We know it is in our hands what we do. No blame, but we just get on with and we keep building as a team and as a group.
"Introduction of young players like Vikash is a part of our identity, it's a part of what we do. He's grabbed his chance and proved what a really good young player he is. That's what we're looking to do really."
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Providing an injury update ahead of Tuesday's match, Boothroyd revealed that midfielder Germanpreet Singh is expected to be out for at least another week. He said:
"Germanpreet is still in need of the physiotherapy department. He's probably a week to two weeks away, but apart from that, I think we're just starting to get players back.
"From not having players to then having players in the team, there's a balance between how much you can give them. We don't want to re-injury anybody because we've pushed them too quickly, which is probably what we've done with Germanpreet."
Aware of the challenge that lies ahead, Boothroyd stressed the need for Jamshedpur FC to adhere to their gameplan against Kerala Blasters, saying:
"For every team, I think, when you come up against them, you've to give them the respect. If they're a team like Kerala Blasters, you give them more respect because you know they can give you more problems.
"We've to make sure that we have a gameplan for them and make sure that we apply that gameplan. A lot of times this season we have thrown matches away because we haven't been diligent enough in the key times, especially in the opening 15 minutes and last 15 minutes of games."
The 51-year-old added:
"If we can tidy that up, we can get control of the ball and control the possession, control the game. It's not going to be easy because they're a difficult team and from what I believe, the crowd is fantastic.
"So, we'll be working as hard as we can to earn the respect of the crowd and the respect of the opponent, and see if we can get a good positive result to go home with."
Kerala Blasters will be without key midfielder Ivan Kaliuzhnyi, who has been suspended for the match after picking up four yellow cards, on Tuesday. Asked if the Ukrainian's absence will be an advantage for Jamshedpur FC, Boothroyd replied:
"Yes, slightly. He's a very good player. Ivan hasn't had to change his team or decided not to change his team, I think, in the last six matches. This, the suspension has forced it on him.
"Yes, he's a good player, but we've got good players too. So, hopefully we can take advantage of that area of the pitch."
Jamshedpur midfielder Phijam Vikash Singh thrilled to start matches
Boothroyd was joined by Jamshedpur midfielder Phijam Vikash Singh for the pre-match press conference. The 19-year-old has started in two of the team's last four ISL matches and will look to do the same on Tuesday.
The teenage midfielder explained that he is delighted to be starting matches for the team and is hoping to contribute more in the coming months. He said:
"I'm so happy with my performances. I want to give more for the club. [I want to] give my best and help the team."
It is only a matter of time before we find out if Jamshedpur can earn their second ISL win of the season against Kerala Blasters, who are unbeaten in seven matches.