'Stranded' Real Kashmir FC's Scottish coach David Robertson to be repatriated soon

NEW DELHI: “We knew that there will light at the end of the tunnel.” This was Real Kashmir FC’s Scottish coach David Robertson’s reaction when he got to know that he, his wife Kym, and son Mason have found a place in UK government’s evacuation/repatriation list.“We are on the list. It is a relief for us. We have to wait now till the high commission contacts us,” David told TOI on Saturday. “There are six from the UK in our team. There is me, my wife, my son Mason, Kallum (Higginbotham), who plays as a striker with Real Kashmir, and two coaches – Jonathon and Jimmy. We are all on that list,” the 51-year-old added, thanking TOI.In its March 31 edition, TOI had highlighted the plight of David, who was desperate to return to Aberdeen (Scotland) in order to tend to his ailing parents. David’s mother, a cancer patient, is undergoing chemotherapy. His father, too, is not in the best of health.Being stranded in Srinagar, David isn’t even able to video chat with his parents – given the excruciatingly slow Internet speed in Kashmir.David is expected to be moved out of India from the Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar on either April 13, 17 or 19.“There are three flights – one on the 13th (April), one on 17th and one on 19th. We are expecting to get on one of those. I think they (UK high commission) will keep running flights until everyone is out,” an optimistic David said.It is highly likely that the UK high commission will arrange transport for David and the other five from Srinagar to Amritsar. Currently, they’re confined at a Srinagar hotel belonging to Real Kashmir owner Sandeep Chattoo.Giving specifics about what happened in the last 10 days, David said: “(After reading the story) My local MP back in Aberdeen contacted people and then I got a phone call from the UK high commission here in India. Things materialized just yesterday (Friday).”At the same time, David is also concerned for Real Kashmir’s African players – Loveday Enyinnaya (Nigeria), Armand Bazie, Gnohere Krizo (both Ivory Coast) and Aaron Katebe (Zambia) – who are there with him at the Srinagar hotel, with still no word when they will go back to their respective countries.“There are four African players who might have to wait longer. I don’t know whether their countries are doing the same things that the European countries are doing. They’ll have to sit tight for a while and then a window might open up for all of them to get home,” David said.