Kashmir FC brave curfews and bad conditions to become the real deal

Real Kashmir FC players celebrate their 2nd Division I-League title after beating Hindustan FC 3-2 in Bangalore recently

Indian football has been witness to a few fairy tale stories of late. However, Real Kashmir FC's (RKFC) script tops it all. There was a time when football in the Kashmir Valley was poised for greatness. It all began during the 1987 Nehru Cup when Abdul Majeed Kakroo donned the captain's armband to become the first Indian skipper from the Valley.

But due to the constant political unrest that kept grappling the state every now and then, it became a fight for survival rather than pathway for success for players such as Kakroo. Cut to May 30, 2018. A Kashmir club, running on shoe-string budgets, dribbles not just past opponents on the field, but also obstructions off it, to become the first club from Jammu and Kashmir to play in the I-League. RKFC clinched the 2nd Division League title after beating Hindustan FC 3-2 at Bangalore.

Fans await the arrival of the Real Kashmir FC squad at the Srinagar International Airport on Saturday

A club that was formed by two friends, Sandeep Chattoo, a Kashmiri Pandit and Shamim Meraj, a Kashmiri Muslim, in the aftermath of the devastating Kashmir floods that wrecked havoc in 2014, now has become the perfect story for fellow Kashmiris to pursue football as a profession. "This is a great achievement for us and all Kashmiri people. It will provide opportunities not only for us to play in bigger states, but for upcoming players as well," Danishq Farooq, who scored the second goal in that epic clash, told mid-day.

The feat of the club which was assembled last year is remarkable given that football infrastructure is not exactly the best in the state. Defender and captain Muhammad Hammad recalled how the volatile situation had sometimes taken a toll on the team's routine. "A month ago, two days before we played Delhi United, there was a curfew imposed in the city. So we, the local players, had to come from our homes to our owner's hotel; spend the night there and then practice the next day," said Hammad, 21, a B.Com second year student from Srinagar.

Muhammad Hammad

From cricket to football
It was coach Kakroo, who spotted Hammad playing football in Standard XI. "My father was a cricketer. He used to take me to the stadium to play cricket. He used to bowl to me for long hours, but after Kakroo sir picked me, I joined a local team formed by him. I played there and was picked by Lonestar Kashmir FC. Later, I joined Real Kashmir," he recalled.

The club does not have a ground of its own since the main arena in Kashmir - Bakshi Stadium - is under renovation. The players had to train at the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) ground that is an open field without fencing. "Now, we are used to it. We know how to handle these situations, be it with infrastructure or political crisis. We have a mix of Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims in our team as well, but we don't think about all that. We just concentrate on our football," explained Farooq, 22, who first sweated it out with J&K Bank.

David Robertson

'Need to keep the spirit going'
RKFC are coached by David Robertson, who was an integral part of the greatest ever Scottish club, Rangers FC. Robertson featured in six of the club's record consecutive nine Scottish Premier Division (SPD) titles in the 1990s. Robertson attributed his team's success to self belief of every member of the side. "In the playoffs, we were down twice, first against Manipur's TRAU [drew 2-2] and Ozone FC [won 3-2], but we bounced back. It's just the spirit! We have spent a lot of time together and that spirit needs to keep going ahead. I've played with some great teams. Players have come and gone, but that togetherness remained," Robertson said.

Asked if he had any preconceived notions before taking up the job, he remarked: "Before coming here, I thought every place in India was hot, but when I got to Srinagar last January, it was snowing, so that was shocking. I've heard about the conflicts and curfews, but I can walk the streets every day without any trouble. I look different than everybody else, but every afternoon, I take two-hour walks through Srinagar, and the people have been welcoming. I've never had any issue at all. I've lived in big cities like Phoenix [USA], where it can be dangerous. If you go to the wrong place in Phoenix, you'll have some trouble. I suppose it's the same in Kashmir."
"Kashmir is not about the violence. It is a football-crazy state. You see, during a local match, almost five to 10 thousand people come to watch. They support football a lot. Football and cricket are very popular. In fact, football brings people together," Hammad said.

Challenging road ahead
Credit goes to the Kashmiris for making it to the big league. The road ahead is challenging, and Farooq felt that infrastructure has to be top notch. "The ground and lighting facilities should be good," he said. "We have to ensure that we retain the core of the team," coach Robertson pointed out. Football has erupted in the Kashmir Valley with the Real Kashmir FC story. "These guys have serious potential. If they allow foreigners and players from other states in their local leagues, it will great. The boys lack a lot of exposure," Robertson said. Watch out for the Leopards of Kashmir as they are nicknamed in the coming I-League season in September. Hopefully, giants like East Bengal and Mohun Bagan will play in the Valley. "We won't just participate, but we will work very hard to win the I-League," Hammad said. With an assurance like that, an exciting premier domestic season awaits Kashmiris. Who said football has not arrived back in the Valley. Without doubt, it has!