Kalyani (West Bengal):
Srinagar-based I-League club Real Kashmir FC may hold its pre-season training at either Jamshedpur or Mumbai in the wake of tense situation in the state, said the team’s co-owner and chairman Sandeep Chattoo.
Despite tensed situation back home after the Centre scrapped Article 370, which gives special status to the state, Real Kashmir FC kept their date with the Durand Cup and began the season with a 1-0 win over I-League champions Chennai City FC here on Wednesday.
“We will love to go back to Srinagar. But if for any unfortunate reasons, we don’t go back then we have options. We can take the team anywhere and do the pre-season,” Chattoo told PTI here.
“We will just wait till the Durand Cup is over. By that time we will decide whether it will be feasible for us to go back and do the pre-season there before the I-League.”
He further revealed that Real Kashmir had preliminary talks with the Jamshedpur’s Tata Football Academy officials but nothing is official.
“We can go to Mumbai, we can go to Jamshedpur. There was an informal kind of discussion with them and the Tatas have been gracious enough to extend an invitation if required. Nothing official as of now,” Chattoo said.
With the Valley completely locked down following the move, the team members are totally cut off from the region.
“We have absolutely no news about Srinagar as of today. We don’t know what’s happening there because we have no means to communicate with anybody there,” Chattoo said.
Real Kashmir played their first match of the season without adequate practice as all the members assembled here on Monday for the first time after the last I-League, where the finished third in their maiden outing.
“Very happy and excited about the win. We were always confident about the squad and our coach. We were pleased to see the dedication of each and every player. They played with their heart and soul. That’s why we have won today,” Chattoo said.
“We are team from Srinagar, so obviously we will dedicate this win to Srinagar,” he concluded.
