Ex-India captain and striker Bhaichung Bhutia slams federation after national players make desperate plea to commence Indian Super League; insists a newly-elected body should revive Indian football from scratch
Indian football team stalwarts Sunil Chhetri (left) and Sandesh Jhingan. Pics/Getty Images
Known to possess a brilliant volley in his heyday, former India captain and star striker Bhaichung Bhutia has delivered another telling volley, albeit of a verbal nature, to the Kalyan Chaubey-led All-India Football Federation (AIFF) regarding the highly delayed Indian Super League (ISL).
On Tuesday, India’s distressed football players, led by striker Sunil Chhetri, defender Sandesh Jhinghan, and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, among others, issued a joint plea to the authorities to get the ISL season underway. The plea comes after the AIFF revealed that they did not receive any bids for ISL’s commercial rights following their Request for Proposal (RFP) for a 15-year contract to monetise the League’s commercial and media rights. Bhutia felt that there is no point in the players pleading with the administration. “I can understand the feelings of the players, the clubs and everybody, especially the football fans in India. But I think it’s really high time, if there is any respect [for the players, the game or its fans], then [AIFF President] Kalyan Chaubey should simply resign,” Bhutia, 48, told mid-day very matter-of-factly on Tuesday.
AIFF chief Kalyan Chaubey and Bhaichung Bhutia
Jhingan’s emotional post
Jhingan posted a video on social media, saying: “Where we are right now is not a delay anymore, it’s a standstill for the coaches, fans, staff members, and players. We have worked too hard, sacrificed too much to let our season vanish in silence. The entire Indian football ecosystem is hanging in uncertainty. Dreams are paused. Future is being questioned. Every day we wait, Indian football bleeds. We need action and we need it now.”
The joint statement by the players read: “Our anger, frustration and distress has now been replaced by desperation. Desperation to play the game we love, in front of people who mean everything to us — our families, our fans. This is a plea to all those involved in running our sport in the country, to do whatever it takes to get the football season underway. India needs its competitive football now more than ever. All we ask of those running our beautiful game, to match our desperation with honest intent. We’ve found ourselves in a very dark tunnel for long. We could do with a little light.”
Bhutia, however, insisted that there can be no solution reached for this impasse unless the entire present federation is dissolved.
‘New body needed’
“I believe the entire federation [AIFF] should call for a new body, a new constitution, a new election. Let a new body come in and revive Indian football from scratch, because if it continues like this, things are only going to get worse. There are around eight or nine months left for this AIFF body to get dissolved and for a new election, so I believe it is better that they all resign and leave now itself and new elections are held,” a furious Bhutia stated.
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