Real Kashmir: Changing the goalpost in Valley for better, ‘jaldi jaldi’

“I learned all about life with a ball at my feet,” was Brazil legend Ronaldinho’s take on what football meant to him. And it’s a sentiment that Real Kashmir FC would probably identify with after adjusting to the valley’s “curfews and cordons” courtesy the ‘beautiful game’. The first club from Jammu and Kashmir to qualify for the I-League is slowly building up to that dream debut on the big stage when they take on Churchill Brothers on November 6 at home turf.”We can be the positive story coming from Kashmir. I appreciate the media for putting out the good word. Now it is for us to do all the hard work and shine, we have no other option,” says the team’s veteran mid-fielder Khalid Qayoom. Qayoom and the rest of the squad enjoyed a day out in Srinagar recently, cheering on the players of an under-18 state championship match at the TRC Turf Ground recently.The two-year old club, started by two friends — Sandeep Chattoo and Shamim Meraj — initially just for “fun”, became the first club from the valley to qualify for the I-League by beating Delhi’s Hindustan FC 3-2 in Bengaluru.Qayoom spoke about the many reasons why football has a “huge following” in the valley. “Mehraj (former India player Mehrajuddin Wadoo) and Ishwaq Ahmed are the reason so many people want to become footballers. They are our role models. People see them as stars of the valley. God willing if we do better in I-League people will think the same way for us also,” he said. The crowd at the match he was watching was rather thin, mostly outside, thanks to the weekly flea market — starting from the ground to the Hari Singh High Street.Inside the ground, the decibel levels were significantly lower. Though not empty, the stands were mostly vacant. “Buck up”, screamed Qayoom, joined by fellow mid-fielders Shahnawaz Bashir and Danish Farooq.This got the spectators involved, and what followed was a goal by Maharaja Sports.”And now you will see the goalkeeper of Maharaja Sports team bowing down in direction of the mosque and thank the lord,” whispered a spectator to his young child, pointing to the mosque next to the stadium.And this is exactly what happened a moment later.”This photograph should make for the sports pages in local newspapers tomorrow,” murmured another fan.It was game on for everyone present in the ground now.”Because of the cold there are less spectators today, otherwise in summer,