Kolkata giants Md Sporting to play friendlies in Kashmir

NEW DELHI, July 12:
Top-flight football will return to Jammu and Kashmir with famous Kolkata club Mohammedan Sporting set to play a couple of friendlies against J&K XI, that will comprise of two of the most popular footballers of the state, Ishfaq Ahmed and Mehrajuddin Wadoo.
Although Santosh Trophy was held in state few years back, this is the first time in nearly three decades that a well known Indian club will ply their trade in-front of football enthusiasts in the state.
“We are playing two friendlies against J&K XI. The first match is scheduled for July 15 at the Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar, while the second match will be played in Baramulla on July 17,” club president and Union Minister of state for Tourism, Sultan Ahmed, told reporters today.
The minister informed that the gesture followed the request from the Union Sports Minister Ajay Maken.
“The initiative was taken by the central government. Ajay Maken send a request to us and we readily accepted it,” Ahmed said.
He added that the club will be sending its frontline team to perform in the valley.
“We are sending our frontline team for the tournament under our coach Alok Mukherjee, who was also a former India football captain. The team will reach valley tomorrow evening, and they will have a practice session day after before playing their first match on 15th.”
Ahmed informed that conditions in the state have improved considerably and the time is conducive to promote sports in a big manner.
“The conditions have improved in Kashmir. The tourist inflow is also there. This gesture will be a boost to the J&K football and to the tourism there,” he added.
Former Mohun Bagan captain and current East Bengal left-winger Ishfaq, meanwhile, said that it will be a great opportunity for the football enthusiasts in the state to rub shoulders with some of the best in the business.
“It will be a great opportunity for some of the talented local players and probably they need the kind of boost to move ahead. Besides myself, Mehraj will also be there, which will be an added advantage for some of the young footballers of the state. The tie will make the youngsters here believe that they too can make it to the top level,” said Ishfaq, who has also played for Goan giants Dempo.
He added that in absence of any medium for entertainment in the valley over last couple of decades, the match against Sporting will be the most sought for encounter.
“People in the valley don’t have any entertainment. They don’t follow cricket that much. Football is one sport which people of Kashmir are really passionate about,” says Ishfaq, who had played some memorable games for Dempo and Bagan.
Ishfaq also feels that this opportunity will provide him a chance to play in front of his home crowd again, a “dream which every player lives for”. He had earlier captained J&K in Santosh Trophy.
“Every player wants to perform infront of his people. So for Mehraj, and me it will be an opportunity to entertain our people. It is really great feeling to play infront of the home crowd and I am hopeful that people will turn up in huge numbers to witness their team play against one of the oldest clubs of the country.”
“Mohammedan Sporting has a huge fan base in valley and people here love football,” he insisted.(PTI)