In a recent media interaction, Laldinliana Renthlei (Defender) and Nerka Valskis (Forward) talked about the new season, ISL under new normal joining Jamshedpur FC and more.
Here are the excerpts from the interview:
On living in bio-bubble for the season
Dinliana: Honestly, it’s like I am back to my hostel days. We are allowed to move around in certain areas only - from gym to the training pitch to the restaurant to our rooms. It’s limited, but it’s for everyone’s safety. It gets a little frustrating at times because of the movement restrictions but we are adapting ourselves slowly and steadily to the new normal. I hope the pandemic gets over soon so everyone can move around anywhere they wish to.
Valskis: Like Dinliana said, it gets frustrating at times, but we are here to play, so we are working hard, adapting ourselves to this new normal and following the safety protocols. Until then, all I would say is, hopefully, this too shall pass.
On playing the first game against Chennaiyin FC
Valskis: Obviously it will be a little strange to play against my former team, but now, I play for Jamshedpur FC, so I am prepared to give my all for this club. I do respect my former teammates, I had one hell of a thrilling season with them last year, so while it will be interesting to go up against my ex team, I cannot wait to represent Jamshedpur FC and score for them as much as possible.
On how the time was spent in quarantine in the hotel
Dinliana: I was quite literally following the eat, sleep, repeat routine during my time in quarantine. In between, sometimes I used to play PUB G, watch Netflix and some cartoons on YouTube. That was pretty much my routine.
On how the team bonding experience has been since the training period began
Valskis: It’s a process. With each practice game and training session we are coming to that realisation. Like, our first practice match against FC Goa was a tough one because even for us, our training session had just begun. But, 10 days later, again, when we played another practice match against NorthEast United FC, we saw a drastic improvement in our coordination. So, yes, the bond is getting stronger and better and hopefully we will be 100% ready before our first game.
On which Indian player has caught the attention so far
Valskis: I can’t pick one to be honest. Amarjit, Narender, Jitu, Mobashir have so much talent in them. They are hard-working players, always eager to learn more. We need to push them more and more and get the best out of them this season because they have tons of potential to improve with every passing game.
On the preparations for the first game against Chennai
Dinliana: We will fight our best for the 3 points. We are practicing and shaping ourselves up to be at our best and give the fans what they deserve. So yes, we are excited for the first big game.
Valskis: Obviously the first game is always slightly different, slightly difficult and strange, but we will give our best shot to win the 3 points. I am confident about it, and the entire season. I want to help the club win games and reach the playoffs because for me, at the end of the day, that is way more important than scoring goals. Hopefully, we are all going to get through the first game and the rest of the season, smoothly and without any injuries.
On missing the fans this season and how it will affect the game
Valskis: Fans play such a crucial role during any game. I remember the Jamshedpur vs Chennai draw. The crowd of Jamshedpur has always been so powerful; that was one of the driving forces that helped Jamshedpur FC pull that magical goal in the last minute. So yes, it will be strange to not have them cheer for us at the stadium and I will most definitely miss playing for them this season.
