Abhishek Roy,IANS,
New Delhi : India football skipper Bhaichung Bhutia has seen it all over a 14-year-long career spanning 100 international matches. He wants the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to get tough with the I-League clubs if they don’t adhere to the norms of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in making the game truly professional.
Bhaichung, who became the first Indian to play 100 international games, is furious with the way the clubs are trying to circumvent the AFC rules with AIFF’s passive connivance.
“What both the clubs as well as the AIFF are not realising is that they are stunting the growth of Indian football,” the 32-year-old Indian captain told IANS in a freewheeling interview Monday.
“The AIFF should not try to bail out recalcitrant clubs repeatedly. The clubs have not made any serious attempt to meet the AFC criteria though they are being told to fall in line for two years, right from the inception of the I-League in 2007. Both the clubs and the federation should know that they can’t find excuses any more to stall the implementation of the AFC rules. Their failure will lead to India not being able to play in the Asian Champions League.”
Bhaichung also said that clubs are not doing enough for youth development and what they are doing is unprofessional.
“Not many clubs have under-16 and under-18 teams. All they do is to collect a motley group of youngsters before a tournament to cobble up a team. That’s not the right way to go about it as the whole world knows that they don’t have their academies. Youth development is the responsibility of the clubs and it is high time they realised it. The AIFF should insist on clubs having junior teams. If they don’t do that the supply line to the national side will be short-circuited,” he said.
Bhaichung, however, feels that the National League, which was re-christened as the I-League in 2007, is the best thing that happened to Indian football.
“The I-league has benefitted the players in more ways than one, but it is still not seen as a major professional league. Yet, we can’t solely blame the AIFF for that. The state associations and clubs have not done their bit in fulfilling their responsibilities,” he said.
The India captain was also unhappy with AFC’s new rule, putting a cap on the recruitment of overseas players by a club at four and insisting on one of them being an Asian.
“Our clubs have a tendency to bank heavily on foreign strikers. But playing against foreign players has made the Indian players tough. I am happy with the existing rule of three foreigners but the new rule will be too much,” he said.
Asked if foreign coaches are of any benefit to Indian football, Bhaichung said: “It is not about Indian or foreign coaches. Anyone with proper credentials and who can make useful contribution to Indian football should be welcome.”
Bhaichung also said Indian coaches are themselves to be blamed for not getting a proper coaching license and if they are reluctant to qualify then they will be out of their jobs by the next I-League.
“A pity, our coaches have a mental block. They feel that they have played lot of matches for India so they don’t need a coaching license. Coaching is now not what it used to be 20 or 30 years ago. It has become modern and AFC is not stupid to introduce licensing system, and for that matter, Franz Beckenbauer was not a fool to get a license,” he said.
On India’s chances in the 2011 Asian Cup, Bhaichung said: “It will be a big challenge for us. I know it will be tough but don’t expect us to play in the final. We will put up a competitive show and hopefully if we do well the profile of the game in the country will also improve.”
The Indian captain also hoped that the change of guard at AIFF will also give a fillip to the game.
“Our acting president Praful Patel is bringing the money for the game. Hopefully his presence will make a difference,” he said.