Want to make Kashmir paradise for football: Real Kashmir FC owner

They didn't just dribble past opponents but also the many off-the-pitch obstructions to become Jammu and Kashmir's first football team in I-League and Real Kashmir FC co-owner Sandeep Chattoo today said his side is now on a mission to make the 'paradise on earth' a paradise for the beautiful game.

The Srinagar-based outfit yesterday became the first club from the Kashmir valley to qualify for the top tier after winning the second division league by beating Delhi's Hindustan FC 3-2 in Bengaluru.

The feat of the two-year-old club, coached by former former Scotland international and Glasgow Rangers legend David Robertson, is remarkable given that football infrastructure is not exactly the best in the state.

They will play in the I-League 2018-19 season starting September, rubbing shoulders with heavyweights such as Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, who are also expected to turn up in Srinagar.

Chattoo co-owns the club with his business associate Shamim Meraj.

"Considering that there is no proper football infrastructure in Kashmir, it is a big achievement for the club to have reached here. But it is just the beginning," Chattoo told PTI in an interview after the historic performance of his little-known club.

"We want to change the whole scenario, we want to bring a football revolution in Kashmir. We have opened the way. We want to make this Paradise on Earth a Paradise for Football," he added.

He hoped that the success of the team would also inspire the alleged stone-pelters to join the mainstream via sports.

"We want the youth to take up football instead of pelting stones. We want to engage them in football and sports activities and channelise their energy," said Chattoo, who owns a hotel in Srinagar.

Defender and vice-captain Muhammad Hammad, who competed in all the matches in the final round in Bengaluru, agreed and said that the feat will inspire the Kahmiri youth to take up football.

"Our club qualifying for the I-League should inspire them. Clubs like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal will come to play in Srinagar and I hope that should divert their energy to pursuing the sport as a career," said the 22-year-old B. Com second year student from Srinagar.

The journey to the top tier was, however, far from easy for the side. Hammad recalled how the volatile security situation in the state sometimes affected the team's routine.

"When we went for training and anticipated that their could be a bandh or strike the next day, we stayed at our owner's hotel a day before to be safe. The next day we would train," Hamad said.

"But we are used to this and we concentrate on football."
Asked why he chose to name his club Real Kashmir FC, Chattoo said, "It is simple, we want to show the real face of Kashmir with boys and kids playing in football just like in any other part of the country not bothering about militancy."
"There is just one washroom and two very small dressing rooms. I hope the state government acts fast and upgrades the facilities so that I-League matches are held in Srinagar."