A Real Kashmir player celebrates the team’s win over Minerva Punjab in Panchkula on Wednesday. (Express Photo by Kamleshwar Singh)
David Robertson left the snowy peaks of Kashmir to return to his native highlands five months ago. Soon after Real Kashmir FC ensured promotion winning the I-League second division title and qualifying for the top tier, the head coach David had taken a three-month break traveling home.
The 50-year-old former Scotland player though would spend the break watching videos of players in that duration, while staying in constant touch with team officials. As Real Kashmir FC played their maiden match against defending champions Minerva Punjab FC at Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex, Robertson did not leave the coach’s corner for a single minute. The visitors would register a sensational 1-0 win over Minerva Punjab FC on debut as an elated Robertson went about shaking hands with each player.
“The only Hindi word which I have learnt during my tenure is jaldi jaldi and I often say that when a player gets late or we have to rush for a quick training session,” he said. “As the players celebrated the win, I wanted them to soak up the win and not like jaldi jaldi. That was also something, which I did not want to hurry in deciding about selecting the team when I was home,” he added.
He would threadbare videos of different players sent by the team officials. “There are two things which I have learnt about Kashmiri footballers during my tenure. The hunger to excel and the desire to prove themselves. That’s what they have done during all these years and to win against the defending champions in our first match will be something which will make the team eager for more such opportunities to celebrate,” shared Robertson, who took charge as head coach of the team in January 2017.
While Minerva Punjab FC had only 11 players left from last year’s winning squad with technical director Paul Munster opting for five foreigners in the starting XI, Real Kashmir FC too saw Robertson opting for six foreigners including captain Loveday Ikechukwu and former Minerva Punjab FC player Bazie Armand.
At their training base TRC Stadium, Srinagar, Real Kashmir FC have had to wait for practice slots sharing the field with 22 other teams. With Minerva Punjab FC’s strikers Kouma Koussai Alexandre and Akash Sangwan creating some chances on Wednesday, the visitors had to fight for ball possession.
Their only chance in the first half came in the 21st minute when Zambian Aaron Katebe’s shot was saved by Minerva Punjab FC goal-keeper Bhaskar Roy. It was the same in the first five minutes of the second half with Alexandre’s shot hitting the goalpost in the very first minute of the half. Two minutes later, goal-keeper Bilal Husain Khan once again came to the rescue of Real Kashmir FC when he made a save off the shot by William Opoku.
While Robertson had opted for a five-man mid-field with only Katobe and Gnohere Krizo as strikers, Krizo’s close range shot in the 74th minute which got past Roy meant that the visitors were in the lead. For the next 20 minutes, while the defending champions opted for long balls, Real Kashmir FC, who made only one substitution as compared to three by Minerva Punjab FC, got another opportunity to score with Katebe’s shot hitting the goalpost.
With owners Shamim Miraj and Sandeep Chattoo watching the match from stands, the visitors managed to thwart every Minerva Punjab attack till the end.
“The win is a great thing for Kashmir football and for the youth of state. We want Kashmir to be known for football and playing in tournaments like I-League is just a step in this direction for all of us. That was one of our motives when we started the club and seeing the club making their debut in the I-league with a win over defending champions is something to remember for all of us. I am hearing that there have been more than 40,000 views on our Facebook page of the winning moments and the youth also burst crackers even in downtown Srinagar to celebrate the win,” said club’s co-owner Sandeep Chattoo.