When the fixture between Gokulam Kerala FC and Real Kashmir FC was announced, few would have predicted a turmoil off the pitch. After all, it was a team hailing from "Paradise on Earth" visiting "God's own country" for a football match.
But now there seems to be dissension in "heaven" as the two teams have engaged in a Twitter battle regarding Gokulam Kerala FC's alleged mishandling of Real Kashmir FC prior to their clash in Kerala on December 15.
Real Kashmir FC was shocked at their host's behaviour towards their coach and the fact that travel arrangements were not made for their pre-match practice session.
They also posted a video where the officials were being asked to leave the venue for tomorrow's game, the EMS Corporation Stadium.
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
They were also unhappy with the ground that was provided to them for their pre-match practice.
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
Former Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Omar Abdullah also weighed in on the matter via his Twitter account.
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
Gokulam Kerala's Twitter account responded to all the claims a little later saying that a strike in Kerala caused the inconvenience. They also claimed that the opposition coach abused their CEO after saying that Real Kashmir FC was asked to leave the EMS Corporation Stadium because the ground never allotted for pre-match practice sessions.
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
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
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.
— Gokulam Kerala FC (@GokulamKeralaFC) December 14, 2018
Note, Mr. Robertson called our CEO a “a fu**** ba****” for doing the things he had to do. (3/n)
Questions:
— Gokulam Kerala FC (@GokulamKeralaFC) December 14, 2018
Why was the bus provided not used by them to get to the medical college ground when we had already arranged everything even in harthal? They did train the previous day in the same place.
Why invade the stadium to train when it is not allowed by M. Comissioner?(4/n)
They also said that the ground that was called a "dump" by Real Kashmir was one of the best they had and it is the one they allot to every visiting team before responding to Omar Abdullah's tweet.
Remember, Medical college ground is probably the best of all the grounds that we have here. Getting a practice ground here is not easy and we agree that we couldn’t provide the best for all the teams, which is why we practice in the same ground we provide to the opponents. (5/n)
— Gokulam Kerala FC (@GokulamKeralaFC) December 14, 2018
Yes. Sure.
— Gokulam Kerala FC (@GokulamKeralaFC) December 14, 2018
“To a point where they’re unsure they’ll be safe playing tomorrow?”
Probably that’s why they didn’t want to practice today? ?? https://t.co/jttNvklhwy
The club has since released an official statement which reads us thus:
"Gokulam Kerala FC CEO Ashok Kumar was manhandled by a bunch of Real Kashmir FC officials today at EMS Corporation Stadium.
Real Kashmir FC was allotted Kozhikode Medical College ground for training after the inspection done by the Match Commissioner on Thursday. Due to hartal, we had difficulty in arranging transport to Medical College Ground on time. The training time was at 10 am and the bus reached at the hotel at 10.06 AM.
But instead of waiting for the bus, the whole Real Kashmir team barged into the stadium and started to make a melee. The strike and the difficulty to get transport were informed to them and the AIFF officially on Wednesday itself.
However, the players and officials barged into the stadium, hurling abuses. When our CEO requested them to leave the stadium, they manhandled our CEO and Kozhikode District Football Association official Hammeed. They snatched Hameed's mobile phone and threw it on ground, thereby destroying it.
They went on to train at the ground. During training they intentionally destroyed two Hero I-League runner boards.
Gokulam Kerala FC has been a good host to all the travelling teams. No teams were allowed to train at the field of play match day minus one. The home team also trains at the same venue of the away team.
We have arranged training ground at Medical College ground, which is one of the best football pitches available in Kozhikode for the away teams to train. We have paid for the ground and no other I-League team does the same to the travelling team.
Several teams including Minerva Punjab CEO Ranjit Bajaj has personally appreciated our hospitality when their team travelled to Kozhikode.
Despite instigating violence and abusing Gokulam Kerala FC officials, they have spread blatant lies on social media. Police have taken a statement of the events occurred at the stadium. The match commissioner was also present at the stadium.
Instead of behaving like professionals, Real Kashmir FC officials behaved like a set of hooligans. We have officially complained to the AIFF about the misconduct of the Real Kashmir officials."
