Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia today hit out at East Bengal for sacking celebrated Indian coach Armando Colaco in the middle of an I-Leaguefootball season.
“I don’t think it’s fair to sack a coach after just six matches. That means the club officials made a wrong choice in picking the coach. You should have given some more time to Colaco,” the torch bearer of Indian football said.
Having announced his decision to retire from club football in East Bengal jersey, Bhutia further said he’s ready to help out the Eelco Schattorie’s boys’ who are struggling with two wins from six matches and slipped to sixth place.
“Even if I’m not playing I want to sit with the players. They have a new coach now and if at all I can help them out anyway I’ll be happy. I want to help them out.”
The 38-year-old said he’s hoping to join the red and gold brigade next month but don’t want to be a burden on the team.
“For me, I’m just coming back to retire. I need to be fit as well, love to play derby. I can’t run around with a stick. Hopefully I would join somewhere in March.”
Mohun Bagan are unbeaten and lead the table and Bhutia said both the city rivals have it in them to win the I-League.
“Definitiely Mohun Bagan have a very bright chance. But East Bengal too can win, their new coach will need some time to settle down. Both teams have chances. It’s not going to be easy. With 11 teams in fray, this time the I-League is not going to be very big.”
He further urged the city clubs to be more organised rather than indulging in a blame game.
“On the whole, clubs like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal have to organise. It’s very difficult for a new coach to understand players’ mindset, their strengths and weaknesses. It’s always easy to complain but if you organise your own backyard you’ll be better prepared,” Bhutia said.
“You need to plan and organise well to take the club into the right direction. After ISL, the I-League clubs may face some problems and we need to catch up.”
The I-League clubs may be blaming the players’ burnout post Indian Super League as a reason for their below par show in the ongoing I-League but Bhutia disagreed.
“Everywhere, every team is playing matches. As far as I know, East Bengal have got 36 players. You got to play them out. It’s not only in India, it’s happening all around the world. Look at a team like Arsenal and how much they’re playing,” he said.
“Let’s not forget, clubs like East Bengal and Mohun Bagan have benefited financially because of the ISL. You should not always keep on blaming,” he pointed out.
The newly-appointed Indian chief coach Stephen Constantine will begin his second stint with the upcoming home and away matches against Nepal in the Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 1 for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Bhutia said Constantine would need some time to settle down.
“It’s going to be tough in the Nepal qualifiers. He does not know the players and has been supplied with 32 players by the AIFF. He’ll have a difficult phase for at least one year but when he knows the players after seeing I-League and the ISL, then I think he’ll get the right kind of player.”
He further said Constantine fitted the bill perfectly.
“He fulfilled the criteria perfectly. We did not want to spend so much on a coach’s salary and the budget was curtailed. At the same time, we needed somebody who had worked with Indian football with experience of International football,” Bhutia said.
Asked about coaching, Bhutia said: “I doubt. I don’t think I have that kind of dedication, involvement and commitment to become a coach.”
Having lost in the Lok Sabha polls on a Trinamool ticket, Bhutia said: “I’m not getting time for politics after the elections. Right now, I’m more focused on football.”
Bhutia was here to promote Sanofi India’s ‘Steps that Count’ initiative to raise awareness on knee osteoarthritis today.
Having gone through seven knee operations, Bhutia said: “It never feels the same after surgery. I wish we had such kind of treatment of visco supplementation.”
