Disciplinary guidelines for players of Jamshedpur FC

The Jamshedpur Football Club (FC) has framed disciplinary guidelines for players and officials during the ongoing Indian Super League, a top club official said Thursday.

In an attempt to develop a sense of togetherness among the players, officials and technical staff members, the club has framed guidelines informally to maintain discipline as well as fix responsibility on players and officials in the current session of the ISL, the official said.

The players and officials will have to pay a fine if they break the discipline of the team, he said, adding that even the chief executive officer (CEO) of the team also comes under the purview of the disciplinary guidelines.

 

The fines collected will be spent on social cause such as spending on education of poor children or providing football to poor kids, said CEO Mukul Choudhari.

Talking to PTI, Choudhari said the initiative was absolutely informal and the brainchild of the teams Spanish head coach Cesar Ferrando to inculcate a sense of togetherness and fix responsibility on players and officials.

The guidelines has to be followed strictly throughout the ISL session including the practice session, punctuality of players and officials as well as during ISL matches, he said adding that emphasis has been given on maintaining cleanliness in and around the playing arena.

Even the players and officials have to pay fine if they violate the dress code, the colour of the jersey for practice session, which keep changing everyday, Choudhari said elaborating that the players and officials are informed a day before what colour of dress has to be worn next day.

Asked about the amount of fine, Choudhari refused to disclose it but said the fine amount would depend on the nature of indiscipline.

Stating that the informal disciplinary structure was a brainchild of the team head coach, Choudhari said it all began when the team went to play friendly matches in Spain ahead of commencement of the current session of ISL.

During the matches played there, the players were served energy drinks and water in bottles, Choudhari said elaborating that after consuming the energy drinks and water, players were seen throwing it on the ground even though the dustbin was barely nearby.

When the players boarded the team bus to leave for the hotel after the match, Ferrando ordered the players to get down from the bus and asked them to clean up the mess from the ground, he said.

The head coach then framed the disciplinary guidelines impromptu and the players and officials agreed to it unanimously, he said making it clear that the disciplinary guidelines framed was not official at all..

Initially, several players including Midfielder Carlos Calvo had paid fine for violating the guidelines but every one in the team are now habituated to the guidelines and maintain punctuality for practice session or dining, he said.

Expressing satisfaction over the positive impact of the initiative, Choudhari said the players and official do not dare to report late during the practice session, which allowed the team to utilize full practice session properly.

The Head of Corporate Communication, Tata Steel, Siddhartha Bortamuli said even the team CEO Choudhari had to seek prior permission from the Team Manager, if he wishes to go out of hotel when accompanying the team.

To a query about the sum collected as fine, Choudhari refused to disclose it but confirmed that whatever be the amount, it would be spent on charitable cause.