Srinagar
Real Kashmir FC who on Wednesday evening reached Kerala alleged ill-treatment at the hands of Gokulam Kerala FC and took the matter to I-League officials ahead of their match on Saturday, December 15 at EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode, Kerala.
Real Kashmir FC was furious with the training pitch they were allegedly provided with and the way their officials were treated.
On the other hand, Gokulam Kerala FC have issued a clarification giving the entire sequence of events and alleging poor behaviour and irresponsibility on the part of Real Kashmir FC.
Real Kashmir after having played seven matches have got 13 points and stand at third place on the points table. Gokulam Kerala FC has also played seven matches and from that they have earned nine points. They stand at seventh place on the points table.
This is Real Kashmir’s first season in the I-League after winning the second division last year while this is the second season when Gokulam are playing in the I-League.
Taking to the social networking site, Twitter Real Kashmir FC lash out at Gokulam for the way their officials abused the former’s coaching staff and officials, how they had no transportation till the training facility and the training pitch was in tatters.
https://twitter.com/realkashmirfc/status/1073438466245947394
Real Kashmir posted a video of a Gokulam official telling Real Kashmir’s coaching staff to leave the ground and play on the ground, not “on our pitch”.
RKFC head coach and staff being asked to leave training ground. ‘This is Kerala not Kashmir’ @realkashmirfc told. Strange. pic.twitter.com/kTjkqC1bEv
— Real Kashmir FC (@realkashmirfc) December 14, 2018
Real Kashmir officials can be heard angrily saying, “We’ll show you there, nonsense people”. They are even heard shouting, “Give us a time to come and play.”
When Real Kashmir officials question the groundsman if that is the way to treat guests, the groundsman can be heard saying, “I know. I have a reputation.”
Real Kashmir posted another video of the training pitch that had only a patch of grass where the players were doing the warm-up. The rest of the ground had no grass and looked in a pathetic state.
Does this look like a training ground??? Team @realkashmirfc had to train on this dump as no ground or transport provided for training today in Calicut.@ILeagueOfficial pic.twitter.com/OK0G4qi1Ed
— Real Kashmir FC (@realkashmirfc) December 14, 2018
Gokulam also took to Twitter to issue a sequential clarification to all the allegations made by Real Kashmir. Gokulam said that they had arranged for a bus for the club officials to the Medical College training ground — a bus they never took and that they never arrived for training at Medical College.
Gokulam further said that Real Kashmir invaded the EMS stadium where training a day before the match is not allowed. Gokulam also alleged that Real Kashmir officials manhandled the groundsman and used foul language.
Gokulam also particularly picked at the training ground video that Real Kashmir put and said this was only the warm-up area of the training facility and not the ground.
Before the bus arrived, RKFCs officials who are staying in a nearby hotel invaded the EMS Stadium, where training a day before the match is not allowed by any MC. To keep this in track, we refused to let them train in the EMS. (2/n)
— Gokulam Kerala FC (@GokulamKeralaFC) December 14, 2018
After having played its debut I-League match away from home against Minerva Punjab FC, Real Kashmir played six consecutive home games. They are now on a journey of six away matches in the league starting with a tie against Gokulam on Saturday.
RKFC officials stormed the FOP and manhandled the groundsman and threw his phone away when he tried to capture what Mr. Robertson and his club members tried to do.
Note, Mr. Robertson called our CEO a “a fu**** ba****” for doing the things he had to do. (3/n)
— Gokulam Kerala FC (@GokulamKeralaFC) December 14, 2018
Meanwhile, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah appealed the local authorities of Kerala to intervene and ensure the safety of players and staff.
Taking to social networking site Twitter, Omar wrote: “Have been told @realkashmirfc are facing numerous difficulties down south in the run-up to their clash against Gokulam Kerala FC to the point where they are unsure they will be safe playing tomorrow. Request local authorities to intervene to ensure the safety of players & staff.”
Have been told @realkashmirfc are facing numerous difficulties down south in the run up to their clash against Gokulam Kerala FC to the point where they are unsure they will be safe playing tomorrow. Request local authorities to intervene to ensure safety of players & staff.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) December 14, 2018
