ISL 2017: Jamshedpur’s secret airport

But Steve Coppell, the team’s cool coach, had a witty answer when a question was put up about the team’s long travel for games, Coppell had a witty answer.

"We will never ever use the travel as an excuse. And what everybody here doesn’t realise is that Jamshedpur has a secret airport,” said Coppell on Thursday

Since they are playing their second consecutive away game, the Jamshedpur FC players are probably the Indian Super League’s longest travellers.

But Steve Coppell, the team’s cool coach, had a witty answer when a question was put up about the team’s long travel for games. “We will never ever use the travel as an excuse. And what everybody here doesn’t realise is that Jamshedpur has a secret airport,” said Coppell on Thursday, ahead of his team’s match against Kerala Blasters here. “And we don’t tell anyone about it. We are the only people who use it.”

READ: ISL: Jamshedpur brings pedigree to the table

Ranchi, some 130 kms away, appears to be the nearest airport to Jamshedpur. But Jamshedpur indeed has an airport, the Sonari airport, and though it is virtually closed for regular flights, chartered and private planes still use it.

Jamshedpur FC is owned by Tata Steel and the Tata Sons also co-owns the Vistara Airlines in its joint venture with Singapore Airlines. The group also co-owns Air Asia India in a joint venture with AirAsia Investment Limited. If indeed the Jamshedpur FC does get to use the Sonari airport, it would be a wonderful gesture if the Tata Group opens it for its ISL stars.