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"It is not me who left Aizawl FC, they forced me out," said Khalid Jamil at the pre-match press conference on January 15 at the Aizawl FC office and that is how the controversy started.
Aizawl FC, however, have their own side of the story according to the technical director Hmingthansanga. "We offered him a new contract two times better than his previous one but he declined us and went on to make a big money move to East Bengal," he said.
When Sportskeeda tried to reach out to Khalid Jamil about the issue, he said, "Why don't you come to my hotel and have a talk with me?" However, Jamil wasn't to be found at the hotel as he had left for the mosque and his phone remained 'unreachable'.
East Bengal officials said, "It's better to meet him after tomorrow's match, Khalid is unpredictable." Sure he is, he won the unprecedented I-League with Aizawl FC just months ago.
Aizawl FC Fan club went a little bit further, by sending out a press release and blaming Jamil for his false accusation and even stated that they had filed an FIR at Aizawl Police Station against the former Mumbai FC coach.
It doesn't simply end there, while it was assumed that Aizawl FC fans will give a warm welcome to their former coach, things took a different turn on matchday.
"Khalid Jamil, You are a traitor," read a banner which was hung by a group of Aizawl fans, while another banner read, "Khalid The Judah Jamil". Every time he shouted directions to his players from the dugout, louder boos for Jamil reverberated in the stadium.
The game ended 0-0, much to the disappointment of Aizawl FC fans. But, things didn't end there. Jamil refused to shake hands with the home team gaffer Paulo Meneses while a brief brawl took place between AFC and East Bengal players on their way back to the respective dressing rooms.
When asked about the 'handshake' issue, Meneses said, "It was my fault. I started a conversation with their right back (Lalramchullova) from the dugout, heated words were exchanged between us. It was me who started the conversation, and I went to Khalid to apologize, but he refused," he explained.
Jamil, who was accompanied by the match commissioner and security guards said, "Nothing happened. I walked towards him, wished him for the upcoming matches and that's it."
When asked about the press statement made by Aizawl FC Fan club, where they stated they lodged an FIR against him, Jamil's answer was simple, "I didn't follow these kinds of press stuff and all. When I was here, I gave my 100% and did my job. Now I am in East Bengal, and I am here to do my job," he said.
But, it was later learned that no FIR was filed against Jamil, as the Aizawl Police Station refused to do it in the light of the case being a defamation one which is to be solved by a civil court.
