I-League 2017-18 -- Paulo Menezes reveals reason behind Khalid Jamil handshake snub

HIGH DRAMA UNFOLDED on the pitch and near the sidelines when Aizawl FC hosted East Bengal today. 

East Bengal coach Khalid Jamil who helped Aizawl FC win the I-League last season was berated by the Aizawl fans over his comments in the pre-match press conference. But that wasn't all.

After the match ended 0-0, Aizawl FC coach Paulo Menezes approached Jamil for a handshake but the latter seemed to refuse.

Speaking to the press after the game, Menezes said why he thought he got a snub from Jamil,

"Towards the end of the match, Chullova was wasting time. So I told him, Aizawl FC is the reason you are who you are. It got him angry and we exchanged some words. Maybe that is why Jamil did not shake my hand."

Lalramchullova is one of the players who was a part of Aizawl FC's top division champion team last season, and followed coach Khalid Jamil to East Bengal.

Menezes said he regretted saying those words,

"I should not have spoken to the player that way. I wanted to apologize, but did not get a chance."

Meanwhile, facing heavy anger from fans, Khalid Jamil had to be accompanied by a security guard when he arrived at the post match press conference. He denied snubbing Menezes,

"I wanted to shake his hand but there was so much going on..."

After the match, the East Bengal team bus was temporarily blocked by Aizawl FC fans on its way to the hotel. A fan group of the club has also registered an FIR against Khalid Jamil for alleged false statements that he made ahead of the match.

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