Javi Hernandez: The Midfield Maestro of Jamshedpur FC who loves 'Responsibility a Lot'

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After a dismal outing in the ISL last season, Jamshedpur FC had to go back to the drawing boards.

A massively adored team in their own den, the Red Miners showed glimpses of brilliance under Khalid Jamil, but they had to bring in a few crucial tweaks to compete in the ISL with much more promise this term.

Khalid Jamil, with his prudent footballing brain, went about in the transfer market in the perfect way, and the team is bearing fruits of that. With two matches in the league, Jamshedpur FC have already managed two wins, the same number of wins which required 11 matches last season.

Although we can continue on this amazing resurgence of Jamshedpur FC this season, it's still in process and the players will have to keep their consistency. But one massive name which has been a focal point of their potent start to the season is a 35-year-old from Salamanca, named Javi Hernandez.

Javi Hernandez joined the club from Bengaluru FC this season. Although his age may look a bit on the heavy side, the spring in his steps has been massively influential for Jamshedpur.

In the first match, Javi had a good outing as Jamshedpur beat FC Goa. The Spaniard showcased excellent passing and created three chances for them as Jamshedpur started their season with an away win.

But Javi's credentials have amplified in numbers as the Red Miners secured a 3-2 win over ISL Cup winners Mumbai City on Saturday (September 21). The Spanish midfielder scored two goals in excellent fashion to play a central part in his team's elusive victory over the Islanders.

Amid this amazing start for Jamshedpur, Javi's role is eloquent. The veteran midfielder is no stranger to Indian football. His journey started with ATK (now Mohun Bagan SG) back in the 2019-20 season, and since then, Javi has represented the likes of Odisha FC and Bengaluru FC.

As he arrived at Jamshedpur, MyKhel had an exclusive chat with the player. When asked about his role, the versatile player elaborated the various positions where he could slot in and was ready to play wherever the coach would play him.

"This question, I think, is for the coach to come in [where should I play]. He will decide, but I used to play in every attack position. So I feel comfortable in playing in eight, ten, even wingers. Sometimes here I play also as a striker. In Odisha, I play many games as a striker. So, I can adapt to almost every position. So just the coach decides. I will give my 100 per cent," Javi told MyKhel.

As far as the first two matches are concerned, it seems Khalid Jamil has found the perfect creator in his midfield. Javi has been mostly an attacking influence for JFC so far, where he has glided from midfield towards more attacking positions. The second goal against Mumbai was a peach, but his defensive tallies also show decent numbers (100 per cent tackle accuracy, 10 recoveries against MCFC).

But apart from Javi's brilliance with the ball, he has brought in a certain level of elite mentality among the players. While speaking during the interview just ahead of the season, Javi clearly mentioned about how he adores responsibility. The former Real Madrid youth player is someone who knows how to hone a role and he has been showing thus far.

"I like to have responsibility. I like it a lot. So, I will try, as I say, to give my best and help the rest of the players also to get in shape soon and have a good season."

Jamshedpur have been top-notch when it comes to taking care of their players. Their multipurpose Flatlets is where all the players stay together. They have a gym, swimming pool, and training ground in proximity and the Spaniard kind of got surprised after joining the club.

"I didn't expect as good as when I came like two weeks ago. And I see this is very important for us because you have everything here. Just the training pitch is two minutes walking from the room. So that's very important for the players. We are here very good. Everyone together is like a family."

Under coach Khalid Jamil, Jamshedpur are slowly rejuvenating this season. Although the season has just started, the early signs are extremely promising. A team is not about an individual at all, but if the Men of Steel shine this season, Javi Hernandez will be at the centre of their excellence.