Jamshedpur FC head coach Khalid Jamil has said he is really happy to come back with the club. Jamil’s contract was recently extended by the Red Miners by two years. The gaffer will stay with the Men of Steel until the end of the 2025-26 season. The 47-year-old took over the coaching baton from former coach Scott Cooper in the middle of the previous season.

Jamil managed Jamshedpur FC in 10 games, winning three and drawing as many. Furthermore, under Jamil’s tutelage, Jamshedpur FC reached the semifinals of the Kalinga Super Cup by winning all three league stage matches.

“I am very happy to come back here again. It is my pleasure to be here as a (head) coach. To do well this year we have to fight. From the start, we have to think about the team. Make a good solid team and choose the players with a long-term contract,” Jamil said in an interview with Jamshedpur FC.

Meanwhile, Jamshedpur FC finished the Indian Super League 2023-24 season in 11th place in the standings with five wins in 22 games. Jamil admitted that the team was in contention for a playoff spot at the halfway stage but veered off the track at the fag end of the league.

“Till the break we did well, we were the contenders for top six but unfortunately after the Chennaiyin FC game everything turned down.. but now we have to think fresh and start fresh and work hard as a team,” he reflected.

Jamil said it is imperative to have the right mix of foreign and Indian players in the squad.

“Starting from foreign players, we have to see which of the foreign players we have to retain and which foreigners we need to change because they play a major role. We also have to think about which experienced Indian players have played in the ISL and I-League. The third thing is that we have to concentrate on local boys. That will be my aim to give a good chance to the boys from Jharkhand or any other local boys. This is our target.

Jamil will want to get the best out of his players in the upcoming season.