Jamshedpur, April 4: The air around domestic coaches and their match-winning acumen in the Indian Super League (ISL) has been given a massive push by Khalid Jamil as he spearheaded Jamshedpur FC to a 2-1 aggregate lead after the first leg of their semi-final clash against Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) on Thursday. With 12 victories and two draws, the Red Miners accumulated 38 points to finish fifth in the league stages, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2021-22, before they beat NorthEast United FC 2-0 in the one-legged knockout to register their first ever win in the playoffs stage.
Spanish flair behind JFC’s gritty displays
Amid an increased focus on possession-based football, Jamshedpur FC carved a distinct playing strategy that optimised their strengths and propelled them to instrumental wins during the course of the season. Leading the charge on that front have been their Spanish attacking duo of Javi Siverio and Javi Hernandez, who combined and contributed to a total of 16 goals and three assists – making up nearly 46% of the total strikes scored by the side.
While Hernandez, with nine goals and three assists, has been an inspired signing in the summer from Bengaluru FC, Siverio had joined the club midway through 2023-24 and extended his deal prior to the current campaign. Both of their impacts have been overwhelmingly positive, with Siverio’s sides now being unbeaten in 19 ISL games in which he has scored (W14 D5), the highest such tally for any player.
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“Khalid Jamil knows me as a player”
Siverio credited Jamil for a major chunk of his success at Jamshedpur FC. “From day one, coach (Khalid Jamil) has valued me and given me confidence. I think he knows me as a player and that’s why I have found my best football in Jamshedpur FC again. The coach knew me, and we were attacking and playing to win, which is why a player like me can score goals. With more playing time and being closer to the box, I believe I can perform at my best, and the coach understands that,” he said.
Siverio adds tremendous aerial strength to the Jamshedpur FC setup, winning 16 aerial duels against Punjab FC on January 27, 2025, the most by any player in a single game in the ISL. Creating 24 goal-scoring chances and making 110 touches inside the opposition’s box, he has been a lively presence in the final third, playing the perfect foil to Hernandez’s creative touch, with the ex-Bengaluru FC attacking midfielder making 29 key passes and taking 26 shots on target, effectively converting 34% of them into goals.
“I encourage players to play with freedom”
Jamil’s coaching philosophy appears to have given his star attacking duo the required freedom to express their skillsets freely as well. In a recent episode of ‘In The Stands’, the tactician had touched upon the difference in coaching domestic vis-à-vis overseas players.
“I do instruct my players in some areas, especially when they are required to do man-to-man marking. Otherwise, I encourage them to play with freedom, display their talents. It should not be like my players are robots and play exactly like I ask them to do. I like to give them freedom, especially to foreigners, who need to use their experience. Young Indian players cannot be overloaded with information, and senior players are to be pushed to share their knowhow whenever required,” Jamil said.
Jamshedpur FC had clinched the League Shield in 2021-22, but endured two difficult seasons post that. Now, they have a chance to produce something special in the semi-finals, as they face the League Shield Winners MBSG in the second leg on April 7 with a lead in the fixture. With both Siverio and Hernandez scoring once each in the opening game, Jamil will bank heavily on their craft, experience, and goal-scoring knack to guide his team into the finals.
The Indian Super League semi-finals are being streamed live on JioHotstar (English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam) and telecast live on Star Sports – 3 (English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam), Asianet Plus (Malayalam).
