Legedary Indian footballer Bhaichung Bhutia expressed his new Indian head coach Khalid Jamil has his task cut out for him at the helm of the Blue Tigers as the Indian took up the mantle of the Indian national football team following the departure of Manolo Marques.
Jamil assumes the role of the gaffer of the Indian national side during a tumultuous time for the side on and off the field and Bhutia opined that the AIFF preferred him for the role as the 48-year-old is unlikely to make too may demands.
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“We have got two world class coaches leaving, we have got Igor Štimac who coached the Croatian team, and then Manolo Marquez who is one of the great coaches with great history,” Bhutia told PTI.
“If these two coaches couldn’t work with the federation, then you bring people who will listen and will do what Federations says and will not come up with his own ideas and demands from the federation,” he added.
Jamil became the first Indian in 13 years to be appointed as the full time head coach of the senior national team. The former Jamshedpur FC head coach was appointed at the helm of the Indian team ahead of Stephen Constantine and Stefan Tarkovic.
“I think Jamil being a domestic coach fits into that as he is fairly new to the team. Feel sorry for him as well as he is taking charge of the team when it’s in a very difficult situation,” he added.
“For Kalyan, he is the right guys because Indian coaches do not demand much. At the same time he is saying that there are financial problems and today the federation has gone into such a bad situation that we don’t have money to pay to the coaches as well.”
“There are coaches who are national team coaches, and they are being paid by the other people, so, I don’t know where all the money’s gone and there are scam after scam,” Bhutia added.
Bhutia criticized AIFF chief Kalyan Chaubey, who had recently acknowledged that club football is in crisis due to the uncertainty surrounding the ISL. Chaubey attributed the situation to certain self-proclaimed reformers with vested interests.
“Chaubey said exactly the right things but who is the head of the federation, and who is controlling football right now and that person should be responsible for the same,” the former striker added.
“He is saying that it’s in a crisis but not saying that I am Chaubey the head of the federation that created those crises. He does not understand what position he is in and the football in this country is in crisis and it is the responsibility of the federation and the president to solve those crises and if he cannot do that he should let somebody come in who can solve those crises,” the Sikkimese Sniper said.
Bhutia and Chaubey have shared a history of verbal spats, with the former frequently questioning Chaubey’s leadership, even calling the AIFF a circus. The AIFF president has denied the accusations, calling instead for constructive contributions.
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The National Sports Governance Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, a day after it cleared the Lok Sabha. Bhutia also touched upon the National Sports Bill and called for more transparency and better judgement instead of power being concentrated in a few hands.
“I welcome the Sports Bill. I only hope that the BCCI was included in that. But, overall, it’s a welcome move. We have been struggling in terms of football and Olympics and I hope this bill brings transparency and right people at the job.”
“Let’s see how it goes first, it’s important that transparency and honesty has to come in. I hope that the judgement is passed for the spirit and betterment of sports. I hope whatever the committee said has transparency and fair judgement for the betterment of sports,” he said.
The AIFF has also decided to conduct the Super Cup before the ISL. Bhutia raised concerns over the federation’s handling of administrative matters as he said, “When the Supreme Court appointed the ad hoc committee to run the federation for the U-17 Women’s World Cup, the federation should have asked the SC whether we can run it or we should have a new body.”
“That delay of 3 years clashed with the MRA rights getting over. That timing could have been tackled much more before coming to this stage. They should have gone to the SC and asked. I have been saying this to find out whether this body can continue which they did not do purposely,” he added.
Jamil’s first assignment as the head coach of the Blue Tigers will be India’s bid at the CAFA Nations Cup 2025, slated to begin on the 29th of August in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
“It’s a great tournament and good for the Indian team as well but as I said that the football is in a mess. You should have sat with the ISL, FSDL and the new coach and then taken the call,” Bhutia said.
“And when you start playing this tournament and suddenly you are trying to play the Super Cup and ISL. Then how does that work? I think it’s going to be a total mess,” he continued.
“If tomorrow ISL comes in and says we’re gonna start playing then you will not have some of the best players playing for the club,” Bhutia concluded.
(With Inputs From PTI)
