KOCHI: For
Real Kashmir
the abrogation of Article 370 early August had coincided with their departure for the
Durand Cup
in Kolkata, and with conditions back home not favourable since then the football club from the valley have been on the road. A pre-season journey that took them to Mumbai, Jamshedpur and Haryana, following a productive two-week spell at the Durand, in which they reached the semifinal, has now traversed the length of the nation and arrived at Kochi.
A 24-member Real Kashmir contingent, comprising six support staff, including head coach
David Robertson landed in the city on Friday. They will play a one-off friendly with
Kerala Blasters FC, at the Panampilly Nagar School Ground on Saturday. "It is difficult to get games in Kashmir now and maybe it's not the best (time)," Coach Robertson tells TOI. For a team that has won hearts since their promotion to the top flight the season before, and fell a tad short in winning the title on their maiden
I-League
campaign, last season, Kashmir know too well the importance of staying competitive.
Robertson, who guided them to a respectful third place in the I-League, wants his side to get acclimatised to the diverse playing conditions in the country that would be on offer when the season gets under way. "It is good for the players, to be to different parts of India and play some good teams. The big thing for us is playing lot more games in warm places. We want to make sure to get used to the whole thing," Robertson said.
As Real Kashmir hope to return home next week, after another training stint in Goa, Robertson believes their prolonged pre-season would have shaped them for the travails of the upcoming I-League season, the schedule for which is yet to be announced. Kashmir, after all, have been unbeaten in their travels in league competitions the last two seasons.
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