Newbies hoping for beginner’s fortune

KOLKATA: There are many reports on how Steve Coppell was not that forthcoming with the media during his time in England. But he is a different man on Indian soil. On Sunday, before addressing the media, Coppell was seen hiding behind a door. When his name was called out, he came in jumping like a little ballerina going on stage for the first time — excited but conscious. At first glance, he doesn’t seem like a man who is the head coach of a new franchise, smiling and relaxed.

Jamshedpur FC is one of the two new entrants in the ISL this year, alongside Bengaluru. Most teams have new players and coaches, but they have been in the tournament for three years and have a base. Even for Bengaluru, they have a core team who have played together for some time. That’s not the case with Jamshedpur FC, who are starting from scratch.

And to build a team and bring together all the players within a short period of time is not easy. For Coppell, the idea of creating something new prompted him to come back to India. “I think there were rumours last year that there was a probability of two new teams this time around. I thought that Tata and Jamshedpur will be a healthy addition to the league. When I spoke to the people at Jamshedpur, I thought it will be an exciting challenge to be involved in a totally new franchise. A chance to create something new. So that’s what persuaded me to take up the job,” Coppell said.

Jamshedpur is only a few hours away from Ranchi — the birthplace of Indian cricketer MS Dhoni. It’s only natural that the state is crazy about cricket. Apart from the Tata Football Academy, the football is not a sport you would associate with the city. That is going to change when the ISL kicks off this year. With a new team, whatever they achieve will be history.

Perhaps, that’s why Coppell looks so calm. “I don’t think there are any expectations. If you were in the tournament for a couple of years, then you have a history and expectations. But with this franchise, everything is brand new. Those of you who will make the trip to Jamshedpur will appreciate the amount of work, people are doing. Hundreds of people are working on the new stadium and facilities so that people will look forward to coming there. There is a little bit of football in Jamshedpur with the TFA. But as a professional enterprise, it’s a step into the unknown,” he said.

Mehtab Hossain, who worked with Coppell for Kerala Blasters, feels the same. For him, Jamshedpur is the only new team in ISL this year. “All the other nine teams have a system and setup. But we have to start from scratch and it’s going to be challenging. The coach is not familiar with most players and how they play. So there is a little disadvantage for us. Look at Bengaluru. Though they are new, almost all players in the team have played together as a unit and understand each other. But nonetheless, we will work hard and give our best,” Mehtab said.

vimalsankar@newindianexpress.com