East Bengal coach Khalid Jamil on Sunday courted controversy before the I-League derby against Mohun Bagan by forcibly trying to enter the stadium premises much ahead of kick-off.
According to sources in the know, Jamil, whose team lost by a solitary goal, came to the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan at around 8.30 a.m. and wanted to take to the greens.
Since it was Mohun Bagan's home game, a green and maroon official tried to stop him but the former Aizawl FC coach argued with him and had an altercation.
Going by I-League rules for this game, three and a half hours before kickoff, which was 2 p.m. for the derby, is the time permitted for team officials including the coach.
"Entering stadium premises is as per countdown. Sometimes it is kickoff time minus three, today it was match time minus three and a half hours," an official said.
--IANS
dm/sam/bg