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The final gameweek of the eISL, India's eminent FIFA tournament, starts today. There are four teams sitting in the middle of the points table that will battle it out today to potentially seal their place in the eISL playoffs. North East United are one of the four sides that have already secured their spot in the LAN event in May.
Emaad Jameel has repaid the faith the Highlanders showed in him by performing splendidly this season. Having scored 29 goals so far, the member of the Offbeet Esports roster is currently leading this season's MVP charts. With Saransh Jain on his side, Emaad will be gunning for glory this season.
In conversation with Sportskeeda Esports' Yasho Amonkar, Emaad shed light on how he feels representing North East United FC, how his goals for the season changed as soon as Saransh joined the side, and the reason he was coaching his friend during the eISL qualifiers.
"There is no other eISL club I would replace North East United FC with": Emaad
Q) You were one of the select few individuals to be retained by their respective clubs ahead of eISL Season 2. How does it feel to don the North East United FC jersey in the world of FIFA esports? Are there any other clubs that you have a soft spot for?
Emaad: It was a pleasure playing for North East United FC in the first season of the eISL and being retained for the second season has been an honor. I am thankful to North East United FC for believing in me and retaining me.
Everyone has a soft spot for their local club, which is Bengaluru FC for me. With that being said, there is no other club I would replace North East United FC with, as it is my home away from home.
Q) As you didn’t have to go through the rigors of the eISL qualifiers, you ended up coaching your childhood friend Sarvagya Rawat, who played for Odisha FC this season. Is coaching something you are keen on pursuing once your playing days are over?
Emaad: As I was not under any pressure or stress to qualify for eISL, I was in a relaxed state of mind. Coaching in FIFA requires a calm and composed mind, so I took the opportunity to help my friend with the qualifiers, thereby guiding him.
I already knew that Sarvagya would qualify for eISL, as I noticed the work he was putting in on FIFA before the qualifiers. I enjoyed coaching Sarvagya through those qualifiers, and I hope in the future I can help the FIFA esports scene in a different role or as a coach.
Q) The Highlanders have won 19 games in total this term, which is more than any other side. How have you and Saransh managed to sustain this winning momentum for the entirety of the season?
Emaad: Even though we lost our first game against Bengaluru FC, Saransh and I knew what we were capable of. With each game, we realized each other's strengths and improved our chemistry.
Hopefully we keep this momentum in the playoffs as we all know the LAN environment is completely different and will be more competitive.
Q) Speaking of Saransh, he is the reigning champion of the eISL with Chennaiyin FC. However, you have taken the onus on yourself and outperformed him this season. How pleased were you to find out that he won the North East United FC qualifier, and were you shocked when he wasn’t retained by the Marina Machans?
Emaad: Regarding my performance in eISL so far, I have to give credit to Saransh and our coach George, who believed in my gameplay and motivated me throughout the season.
We will finish the league stage in second place because of our mentality of not giving up and always motivating each other. Before the qualifiers even started, my goal for this season was to do well and get to the playoffs.
However, as soon as I found out that Saransh was my teammate, my goal immediately changed to wanting to win the eISL.
I was initially shocked when I came to know that Saransh wasn't retained by Chennaiyin FC. But we have to give respect to Navin Haridoss, as he was also last year's winner and won the MVP award as well.
Q) On the back of some scintillating displays over the last couple of months, a lot of people consider you the breakout star of eISL Season 2. What are the main differences in your gameplay compared to last season?
Emaad: Confidence has been a huge factor in my improved performances this season. I have gained self-belief by playing against the best players in the Indian FIFA scene. I have a different style of gameplay, so I need to stick to it and trust it until the very end.
Q) In the recently concluded gameweek 7, you gave away two late goals to Mumbai City FC’s Aditya Chadha, which resulted in a couple of dropped points. What measures will you take in the playoffs to close out games better?
Emaad: My game against Aditya Chadha was very end-to-end. I was 3-1 up until the 80th minute, but I kept on giving him the ball. He capitalized and scored two late goals to draw level, but that’s over now.
I can't dwell on the past. I just need to improve on keeping the ball in those crucial last moments or shift to a more defensive setup like the 5-4-1 formation.
I’m actually happy I experienced this just before the league stage got over, so now I can be well-prepared for the playoffs.
Q) There are a lot of matchups between the top four sides in the last two gameweeks of the league stage. Do you feel this is a boon or a bane, considering you could face some of these teams again in the playoffs?
Emaad: I don't think it's a problem for me as people play differently in the league stage and the playoffs. Plus, the playoffs will be played on LAN, which will also add another dimension.
It will also be an amazing story to tell: a team that lost in the league stage against a particular team a few weeks ago beat that same team in the playoffs.
