CHENNAI/KOCHI: Just as the Kerala Blasters fans were excitedly waiting to welcome their beloved players back, a big controversy brewed before Sunday's match against Mumbai City FC. The commotion over pending agreement between GCDA (Greater Cochin Development Authority) and the club on renting the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi for Indian Super League (ISL) matches put a cloud of uncertainty over the match.
However, a temporary solution was soon achieved with sources privy to the development saying that Sunday's match against Mumbai City FC will go as scheduled, as earlier reported by this daily. "After this match, the club will engage in dialogue on Monday with the statutory body over whether to continue in the same venue or not. A decision on the same will follow before the next home game," the source said.
The club confirmed that the match will go as per schedule. "Kerala Blasters FC acknowledges the efforts of P Rajeeve, minister for industries and law, P V Srinijin, MLA and president, Ernakulam District Football Association & Chandran Pillai. chairman, GCDA, in facilitating a resolution regarding the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium and the upcoming fixture (on Sunday)," the club statement read.
Hours after the GCDA disrupted the pre-match press conference on Saturday, offices of both the club and the ISL were vacated by the statutory body. Even the preparatory works in the stadium were put on pause. "Work was stalled for two hours from 5.30 pm on Saturday. Even the floodlight's testing process was put on hold," the source added.
The reason why the GCDA had disrupted the proceedings is over a pending agreement on the rent and the payment of liability balance worth around Rs 25 lakh from last season. "The body had demanded more than what we are liable to pay for last season. In the same period, a dance event (non-sporting) had taken place and damages from that event had been put on our shoulders," alleged the source.
It is understood that the Mumbai team and broadcasters are already in the city. Cancelling the match, after the away team and broadcasters have come, would be a catastrophic embarrassment.
Days after the GCDA said they had an ‘one-time' agreement over slashing the rent fee to Rs 2 lakh a match from the usual asking rate of around `8 lakh considering financial distress of the club due to the delayed ISL season, the executive committee of the body had decided against this move. Then, they increased the rent to Rs 4.2 lakh. The club, it is understood, had rejected that offer and said they will be forced to move out.
The stadium underwent renovation work for the jinxed Messi event, supposed to take place in November last year. However, with the event not taking place, Reporter Broadcasting Company, the organisers of the said event, had handed the stadium back to the GCDA, which stalled renovation work.
With this in mind, the Blasters explored the option of playing matches in Kozhikode, and had an informal agreement with authorities there to play matches. It is understood that the GCDA had convinced the club to play matches in Kochi. The Indian Super League (ISL) began on February 14 with the Blasters losing 0-2 to Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG).