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The Indian Super League is well and truly underway, and with gameweek one officially over, fans have got a taste of what to expect this season. However, for the uninitiated, we continue our series of taking a closer look at all the foreign players in the various ISL teams. We look at the Jamshedpur FC squad and the non-Indian players who will feature for the team in this year's ISL.
Peter Hartley
The Jamshedpur FC captain is straight from the moors of Scotland, where he last played for Motherwell. Peter Hartley is expected to be at the heart of defence at centre-back for the team from Jamshedpur.
A centre back, who has many years of experience in the various tiers of English football, Hartley has played for clubs like Sunderland, Bristol Rovers and Blackpool. He brings leadership qualities and a strong organizational sense to the team, and if Jamshedpur FC are to do well this season, Hartley will have to be at his best.
Stephen Eze
Stephen Eze is another centre-back who brings with him a wealth of experience in European football. He played in the Europa League for Bulgarian side Lokomotiv Plovdiv and is expected to partner Hartley in the centre of Jamshedpur FC's defence.
Eze won the Nigerian Super Cup in 2017 with Ifeanyi Ubah and won the Bulgarian Cup with Plovdiv. Considering that he has top-flight experience in both Europe and Nigeria, Eze should settle in to the ISL fairly quickly.
His height and physical presence will be a major deterrent to opposition attackers and fans should not be surprised if Eze turns out to be one of the best signings of the season.
Aitor Monroy
33-year-old Spanish midfielder Aitor Monroy has played over 200 games in his professional career for various clubs around the world. He is one of two foreign players that Jamshedpur FC managed to retain ahead of the new season. Monroy scored one goal and provide one assist during the 2019-20 ISL season.
As someone who knows the setup of the club well, his presence and familiarity will be important to the team. Jamshedpur FC have to get used to unfamiliar surroundings, training and living in a bio-secure bubble in Goa for the duration of this year's season.
Alexandre Lima
Alexandre Lima is an experienced Brazilian midfielder, who has played for Major League Soccer clubs like Chicago Fire and Houston Dynamo. He made 82 appearances for Chicago Fire and has also helped the team reach the MLS playoffs in the past.
However, Lima started his career with the famous Brazilian club Gremio. Technically sound and capable of putting in hard tackles when required, Lima’s contributions to Jamshedpur FC will be vital in the coming season.
Like other foreign players in Jamshedpur’s squad, he has the experience playing in different cultures and continents (most recently for South Korean clubs Suwon FC and Anyang and Vietnamese club Ho Chi Minh City FC). Jamshedpur FC will be hoping that the player will not need too much time to adapt to his new surroundings.
David Grande
David Grande is one of the three foreign forwards that Jamshedpur FC have in their attacking lineup this season. The Spanish forward has also been retained from last season, where he played eight matches and scored one goal in over 574 minutes for the club.
It is difficult to say whether Grande will start regularly for Jamshedpur FC this season, particularly with the likes of Nerijus Valskis joining the team. However, he may prove to be a valuable option off the bench, as the season is long and rotation will be needed.
Nicholas Fitzgerald
The 28-year-old Australian midfielder signed for Jamshedpur FC, as they looked to fulfil the mandatory Asian quota that teams had to fill coming into this year's ISL season.
He played 45 minutes during Jamshedpur FC’s first match of the season against Chennaiyin FC and put in a solid shift. However, Jamshedpur went on to lose the game 2-1 to the side from Chennai.
Fitzgerald began his career as an U-21 player for the Central Coast Mariners and went on to play for various other A-League clubs like Melbourne City, Western Sydney, and Newcastle Jets. A two-time winner of the A-League, Fitzgerald's experience will be beneficial to Jamshedpur.
Nerijus Valskis
Last season’s Golden Boot winner Nerijus Valskis joined Jamshedpur from Chennaiyin FC along with former coach Owen Coyle this season. Coyle managed to get the best out of the Lithuanian forward last season.
Valskis' goals helped Chennaiyin turn their season around and mount an incredible run to the final of the tournament last year. The team were languishing at the bottom of the table midway through the league. Valskis scored against his old team in Jamshedpur's first match of the season.
