KOLKATA: Last season's I-League winners, Inter Kashi players have threatened to 'boycott' their final two matches of the ongoing Indian Super League (ISL), citing unpaid salaries and plunging the Varanasi-based club's debut season in the top league into a full-blown crisis.
The players' apparent revolt has come close on the heels of veteran Spanish head coach Antonio Lopez Habas' decision to leave his post before the team's last match against Mohun Bagan Super Giant here on Tuesday. Inter Kashi, currently placed 10th on the standings with 12 points from 11 matches, are scheduled to wind up their campaign with a game at SC Delhi in the Capital on Sunday before facing East Bengal.
'Of the past four months, we have received only one month's salary. Even payment for members of the staff is due. If the club doesn't resolve the issue immediately and clear our pending dues, we're not going to play the last two matches of the season,' an Inter Kashi player seeking anonymity told TOI. 'If the club management doesn't address our financial issues and make payment before Saturday, we're not going to travel to New Delhi and will also boycott the final match (against East Bengal),' the player added.
An Inter Kashi-like storm is also brewing at Mohammedan SC. Mehrajuddin Wadoo's last-placed side is facing relegation after managing just three points from 11 matches. A few days ago, players boycotted training over unpaid wages, prompting the club management to persuade them to play with the assurance of a partial payment.
The situation highlights the financial struggles faced by some clubs in the ISL, raising concerns about player welfare and the sustainability of the league. Inter Kashi's management has yet to issue an official statement regarding the players' demands.
