Head Coach Owen Coyle talks about the last 2 games resulting in a loss and his thoughts on the next game against NorthEast United. He also talks about the possible changes in the starting line-up and the transfer window activity of the league.

Here are the excerpts from the interview

On the inconsistency in the team’s performance

I don’t think there's any inconsistency from the players. We lost to Chennaiyin in our first game of the season, but later on we were fantastic with our unbeaten run. Then, we had the long break in between and we came back into the second leg of the season. We know we did not play as well as we would have liked to against FC Goa, but still we created many chances to score. We have talented players within our squad and we have to be at our very best in our upcoming games. We do notice that all the other teams have had their own set of spells, but we believe in having the character to bounce back and showcase great quality. Jamshedpur FC have some wonderful players who are really great to work with and we need to win the next game against NorthEast United in order to get to the position in which we aim to be at.

On the defensive side not being in the same form as before

I think what happened was that we made plenty of mistakes and we were punished for it. We made some errors, both individually and collectively. The game against Kerala Blasters was lost due to some individual mistakes whereas FC Goa played really good football. The chances they created and the goals they were able to score were a result of our mistakes. So, those are some areas we will look to rectify but despite the mistakes, we also created plenty of chances to score. We have an outstanding striker in our team, Nerijus Valskis, who can score goals and also supply assists for others to score as well. So, we need to work even harder and that is what we will train and work towards.

On being caught off-guard against FC Goa

No, we were not caught off-guard! We just made mistakes and also had chances to go up in the game but the FC Goa keeper was outstanding in his position. In that game, Naveen Kumar (FC Goa goalkeeper) was the Man of the Match, so that tells us why we could not win. We never soared too high up when we won a couple of games and went to the 3rd position in the table before the break. At the same, we will also not sink too low when we lose games. We understand that the team is a unit and we are all in this as much as the other person. So, we need to perform better collectively and that is something we will work to achieve. The men are honest and hardworking lads who are training hard within the bio-bubble and full credits to them for being so tough and understanding at the same time. Now, we will put a smile on our faces, work even harder and aim to win the next game.

On the changes made to the team to face NorthEast United

The game has come too quickly for us with just 2 days to spare and then we'll have to go back into another game in a week, so there won't be much freshness in the players. Even Alex Lima has been suspended, who is a wonderful player to have on the pitch. So, crucial players being sent off is a blow to any team but we have shown before that we can play well and with Aitor suspended earlier in the season, we still showed character and kept the opposition at bay. So that is what we have to do when the top players are missing from the line-up. The players coming in to replace them will have to step up.

Thoughts on NorthEast United being the next opponent

I think they are in good form. They have played very well lately, so NorthEast United are dangerous opponents. Plus, every team you play with presents different challenges. Northeast United may not be as fluent in their passing as FC Goa, but they have so many other strong qualities and that is something we have to be ready for while also being respectful of their strengths. Having said that, we look forward to playing them, impose our game tactics on them and get our strong players more on the ball because that is what we have to do to win.

Updates on Peter Hartley playing in the upcoming game against NorthEast United

Yeah, the skipper, Peter Hartley and the other players have had a number of injuries but still have played with bumps and bruises to ensure the team’s performance does not go down. Alex Lima at times has played with his injury and had to take painkillers and injections to play in the main game which really shows his desire to head to the pitch and represent his team. Same with Peter Hartley and Nerijus Valskis who have played every minute of the previous games and helped their teammates to get the best results out of the fixtures. So, that is the type of character that is needed in a player and that is what builds winners in a club. The players have given everything they can on the field and I have been delighted with their efforts and application of their skills to get the wins from the fixtures and that is what we will do tomorrow. Hopefully, Peter Hartley is at 100% fitness and can make it to the next game.

On bringing Nick Fitzgerald or David Grande into the squad in place of Alex Lima

Nick Fitzgerald and David Grande have just come out of long term injuries and it seems a little early and a bit risky to get them to start the game. But, it does give us more options to bring foreign players into the starting line-up, so it is something we will give consideration to without giving away our game to the opponents. Nick still needs a little bit of time to recover and get to a 100% both mentally as well as physically, but bit-by-bit he is getting there.

On the rumours of Aniket Jadhav and Amarjit being in the January transfer window

I think there will always be players who will be going out or coming during a transfer window in a league. I think that's an important aspect in the football leagues when you have young players available to sign, particularly young Indian players and even the market is open to sign or sell players at the moment. Having said that, both boys have plans to stay put in Jamshedpur, develop their skills while being in the club and become even better players. We want the Indian players within our squad to grow and improve even further and set a certain standard in which they feel comfortable to play to reach their true potential out on the field. These two players have been working hard and are doing their best to get better.