Bhaichung Bhutia blamed All India Football Federation (AIFF) for India’s poor present within the Asian Cup and stated it was scapegoating Shaji Prabhakaran by eradicating him as secretary-general. Speaking after attending the manager committee assembly in New Delhi on Tuesday, the previous India captain once more stated AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey and treasurer Kipa Ajay ought to both resign or be eliminated as together with Prabhakaran they had been liable for all main choices.
“The Asian Cup and Asian Games were the two most important tournaments for us and AIFF really messed it up,” Bhutia, an AIFF govt committee member by advantage of being probably the most capped former worldwide, instructed HT over the telephone from New Delhi. “The team went without preparation to the Asian Games. There was no coordination with clubs ahead of that competition and Shaji was then the secretary-general. Without proper preparation again, a team was sent to Asian Cup from where we returned without scoring a goal.
“It is not the fault of the players or the coaches. Poor planning is the fault of the AIFF management. They could not give the squad time to prepare.”
India returned from 2024 Asian Cup dropping all three group league video games and conceding six targets. An AIFF govt committee member stated in his report on Asian Cup, India head coach Igor Stimac has stated barring Australia, Japan and South Korea, lots of whose gamers are primarily based in Europe, the common preparation time for groups at Asian Cup was 27 days. India had 13, Stimac has identified. “Overall, it was a disappointing tournament for us all but not unexpected,” the member quoted Stimac as saying.
India had been additionally the one workforce amongst 24 at Asian Cup with out GPS gear, Stimac has stated, in keeping with the AIFF official. That impedes harm prevention and, “affects the players when they see basic training equipment is missing…,” Stimac has stated, in keeping with the official. The official didn’t wish to be named.
Speaking individually, an AIFF official stated GPS vests and different gear had been misplaced by airways after the 2023 Asian Games. “Some four airlines were involved and we have written many letters to them but to no avail. We have lost equipment worth nearly ₹45 lakh. We have ordered new GPS vests,” the official stated. The official too didn’t wish to be named.
India’s final recreation in Asian Games was on September 28. The Asian Cup squad assembled in Doha on December 29.
The Asian Cup, Bhutia stated, was not listed for dialogue on Tuesday. But Prabhakaran’s dismissal was. Prabhakaran joined the assembly nearly and requested AIFF govt committee why he was eliminated, Bhutia stated. “Shaji kept asking but AIFF did not respond, saying the matter was in court. I also said that as an executive committee member, I do not know the reason for Prabhakaran’s dismissal.”
Last November, AIFF sacked Prabhakaran saying there was a “breach of trust.”
Shaji scapegoat: Bhutia
“The breach of trust is not by Shaji alone, so don’t try to make him a scapegoat,” Bhutia stated. “From the time, the new committee was formed (September 2022 when Chaubey beat Bhutia 33-1 in the AIFF election), three people have taken most decisions. So, if AIFF has to sack Shaji, it should also sack the president and treasurer.”
Prabhakaran had gained a keep on his dismissal from Delhi Hight Court in December 2023. In its order on January 19, the court docket stated solely the manager committee can take away the secretary-general. AIFF had instructed the court docket that Prabhakaran had been eliminated by its emergency committee. So, on Tuesday, the sacking needed to be ratified. Bhutia was the one member who didn’t signal, in keeping with an AIFF official.
Bhutia additionally stated he has prompt that govt committee conferences and the annual normal assembly be proven stay on AIFF’s social media platforms. “If parliament sessions can be shown live, if Supreme Court proceedings can be viewed in real time, why not these? What is there to hide?”
Source web site: www.hindustantimes.com
