"We deserved it after the work we have done" - Owen Coyle on Jamshedpur FC's League Winners' Shield triumph

Jamshedpur FC sealed the League Winners’ Shield in the final league-stage game of the Indian Super League season on Monday. They played out a gritty 1-0 victory against ATK Mohun Bagan.

Jamshedpur FC head coach Owen Coyle was absolutely elated after the performance. He stated that the Red Miners deserve the silverware after the efforts they've put in throughout the season.

Speaking to the media after the game, the Jamshedpur FC gaffer said:

"Absolutely delighted for everyone at the club, our supporters, our owners. Everybody cares so much about Jamshedpur, obviously, as a head coach, coaches & players come and go but it's important that when you're at a club that you give everything you can for them, which I've done."

He added:

"I've also loved the two years working with everybody here. And it's great to get the prize at the end because we deserved it after the work we have done. Well, actually we had to win 10 of our last 11 games."

The Men of Steel have been one of the most consistent sides this season. After 20 games, they came away with 43 points to pip the Mariners. In what emerged as a cagey encounter, Ritwik Das (56’) scored the only goal of the game and sealed the three points in his team’s favour.

After their victory against ATK Mohun Bagan, the Red Miners will square off against fourth-placed Kerala Blasters FC in a two-legged semi-final. Talking about the next step, Coyle said:

"I said, enjoy tonight, then obviously it's about recovery tomorrow. We've had to play three games in six days, the boys are on their feet but we know how to get them back on and get them ready for big games. There's not a lot between the teams in the semi-finals. You know, on any given day, I would suggest that anybody can win. They really can. But what we've shown over 20 league games is that we're the best team in the country."

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"I think it's necessary to think about the semi-final game now" - ATK Mohun Bagan boss after loss against Jamshedpur FC

Meanwhile, for ATK Mohun Bagan, the loss means yet another 'so close, yet so far' moment in their hunt for the League Winners' Shield. This was also the first loss for the Mariners under Juan Ferrando.

With the loss, ATKMB have dropped down to third in the points table and face Manolo Marquez's Hyderabad FC in the semis. Asked about the feeling in the ATKMB camp after the loss, the Spanish head coach said:

"Of course, we are not feeling very good. We had one opportunity in this last game we knew it was not going to be easy, because for us it was necessary to win by 2-0. We tried to do everything but we didn’t succeed. But I think it's necessary to think about the semi-final game now."