Our young stars, Narender Gahlot and Niraj Kumar, interacted with the media recently. Here are some excerpts from the interview where both players talked about what lies ahead of the season and how are the preseason preparations going in Goa:
On the preparations and how different it is from preparing in Jamshedpur
Narender: The preparations are going well. It is, however, significantly different from how we prepare when we are in Jamshedpur because the weather is different there. Jamshedpur is colder around this time. Goa is more humid, so it has been a little tough for us and the foreign players as well, but we are all working on it together. The preseason training sessions are going well despite the change in the weather and with practice, we will get better adjusting to the weather changes.
On how the recovery sessions are going
Narender: Due to the shortage of time, all of us are pushing ourselves hard. But, our Head Coach understands the importance of recovery too along with our physio and masseuse so, overall, we are taking breaks when needed and recovering well post our sessions.
On how different the playing style is going to be this season
Narender: Honestly, every coach has a different way of teaching, so, we as players should be flexible and be able to adapt to whatever changes come our way. As a footballer, it is our job to learn, grow and play as per whoever our Coach is. Personally, I am enjoying learning under Owen Coyle; I love the way he constantly pushes, and boosts our confidence during training sessions. So, that is something I found refreshing.
On what lies ahead of Jamshedpur FC this season
Narender: Last season we did well during the first half, but then our key players had to step back because of the injuries and that affected the morale and overall gameplay. But, we are practicing our hardest, doing everything in our power to get fitter, stronger and more agile ahead of this season and we hope to give our 100% and make our fans proud.
On the chances of injuries happening less because of the limited movement
Narender: I think the upside is that due to limited travel and restricted movement, the chances of injuries will get significantly lower and we will get more time to recover.
On the new players joining and how it will affect the season
Narender: Like I always say, it is all about learning and growing. With so many new and experienced players joining our team, it will only help us get stronger and build a better team ahead of the new season.
On how the quarantine period was spent
Narender: I played a lot of PUB G while I was at home, and then again did the same while I was here in quarantine. I watched a lot of Netflix, listened to a lot of music and relaxed mostly.
On how the pandemic has affected the training sessions
Niraj: It’s a process. Everything takes a little time. We have returned to the ground after a very long time so we are slowly and steadily getting there. With every day passing, we are warming up and getting better and stronger with our training sessions.
