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Hindustan Times
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
HT Kick Off: What numbers do not reveal
Apart from offering a crash course on the role and duty of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) president, last Friday's media conference went big on numbers to highlight what has changed since September 2022 and what has not. Since data is the new oil, this deserves praise. It pointed out how India's goals scored per match has gone down while goals conceded has remained nearly the same even though there have been three head coaches between 2015 and now. AIFF's slick presentation detailed the strikers chosen by Stephen Constantine, Igor Stimac and Manolo Marquez to embellish the point that all three had picked the best available. Accepting that there are not enough Indian strikers, president Kalyan Chaubey spoke about the need for discussions to a problem that predates Indian Super League (ISL). (In 20 seasons of I-League, including when it was India's top tier competition, there have been only two editions where an Indian was among the top scorers.) The AIFF president's suggestion to reduce the number of foreigners though could hit Indian clubs at a time the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has lifted restrictions on imported players in continental competitions. It also comes over two years after Stimac had spoken of the need to restrict the position of strikers and attacking midfielders to Indians only. But, like with the data on the men's team, numbers do not always tell the tale. For instance, highlighting organising 1697 matches in a single season means little if the men's national under-23 team barely plays – proof of what can be achieved if they played more came in Tajikistan needing two stoppage-time goals to win against a 10-man India – the top tier of the women's league has only 14 matches, the under-17 I-League can be won by playing 15-16 matches, the men's game at the elite level stretches to around 30 matches and the off-season is as long as the season. In nearly three decades of national leagues, AIFF has not been able to grow the season. For comparison consider this: Hong Kong's league ran from August 30, 2024 to May 25, 2025. Also, how does a 232% increase in grassroots leagues in two seasons from 2019-20 compensate for the lack of an AIFF pathway between the under-17 and the men's leagues? The 631% increase in the number of coaching courses from 2017-20 to 2022-25 is commendable because, as AIFF says in its presentation, 'If a federation can develop good coaches, the good coaches can create excellent players.' Including futsal and beach soccer, India has 16,596 coaches with some kind of AFC badge, AIFF has said but did not mention how many of them have found gainful employment. While the performance of the young girls and boys at AIFF's training programmes need to be applauded – uner-15 boys have defeated a number of ISL under-17 teams and the Indian Arrows Women Juniors have beaten clubs with older players in IWL2 – it would have been nice if an update was provided on the new elite youth league AIFF said it would start with funds saved from the successful boys' Arrows project that was scrapped by this regime in September 2022. Taking nothing away from the performance of the boys and girls, is it also not a reflection of how seriously clubs take youth development because the season is so short? Information that ₹2333 crore being invested by state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland was a welcome development in a country desperately in need for investment in infrastructure. Given that Inter Kashi still cannot find a venue in Uttar Pradesh, who, as per AIFF, are committed to investing ₹1005 crore, they can call home, it would have been nice if timelines of the projects were provided. Also welcome was AIFF's ₹14.70 crore surplus at a time when the agreement with commercial partners is months from ending. Here too, context is important and it would have been nice if AIFF had said how much it has saved on salaries by not appointing long-term coaches for most of its national teams. AIFF being committed to get naturalised players too is a sign that it is in step with time. Chaubey spoke of 33 players with whom AIFF was in touch. Good news, but wouldn't it have been great if details about their clubs and playing positions been provided along with the explanation of how they got on the shortlist?
India Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
Inter Kashi win CAS appeal over AIFF ruling in I-League points dispute
Inter Kashi on Tuesday won their first appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the All India Football Federation (AIFF) after the Varanasi-based side were deducted three points for a contested I-League match earlier in the CAS ruling, though, will not hand Inter Kashi the I-League title AIFF's appeals committee had on April 18 ruled against Inter Kashi in a case relating to their match against Namdhari FC — who were alleged to have fielded an 'ineligible player' — on January 13, setting aside a decision given by the national federation's disciplinary After the appeals committee ruling, Inter Kashi finished the I-League at second spot with 39 points, while Churchill Brothers of Goa were declared champions on 40 Kashi filed an appeal at the Switzerland-based CAS on April 24 against the decision of the AIFF appeals committee and the world's apex sports tribunal ruled in favour of the club on is another Inter Kashi appeal pending at the CAS and that may decide who will be the 2024-25 I-League champions, though the AIFF had already handed the trophy to Churchill Brothers on the basis of its appeals committee decision."The appeal filed on 24 April 2025 by Inter Kashi FC against the decision issued on 18 April 2025 by the Appeal Committee of the All-India Football Federation is upheld. The decision issued on 18 April 2025 by the Appeal Committee of the All-India Football Federation is set aside," the CAS said in its ruling on terms of the decision issued on 24 February 2025 by the All-India Football Federation Disciplinary Committee in the matter IL 2024-25/102 are hereby confirmed," said the CAS award delivered by three de Weger of the Netherlands presided over the bench, with Michele A.R. Bernasconi of Switzerland and Jeffrey G. Benz of United Kingdom being the other members."(1) On the basis of the complaint received the Committee is of the view that the defendant club Namdhari FC has fielded an ineligible player resulting out of a failure to make the player serve the suspension in Match No. 45 of the I-League 2024-25 against Inter Kashi FC in accordance with Article 12.3.2 of the I-League 2024-25 Regulations for accumulation of 4 cautions in the given season."(2) The said match shall result in a forfeiture (0-3 loss) for the defendant club Namdhari FC in accordance with Article 57 read with Article 26 of the Code of fielding an ineligible player," the court Kashi said on their social media handles that they welcomed the CAS costs of the arbitration, to be served to the parties by the CAS Court Office separately, shall be borne 20 per cent by Inter Kashi, 40 per cent by the AIFF, 20 per cent by Churchill Brothers FC Goa and 20 per cent by Namdhari CAS directed the AIFF to pay two thousand Swiss francs (Rs 2.12 lakh approx) to Inter Kashi while Churchill Brothers and Namdhari FC will have to pay one thousand Swiss francs (Rs 1.06 lakh) to the Varanasi-based club "as legal contribution towards its legal costs and other expenses incurred during these arbitral proceedings".After Inter Kashi filed its first appeal at the CAS, the AIFF appeals committee ruled in favour of Churchill Brothers and Real Kashmir in two other cases relating to their respective matches against Inter Kashi over re-registration of player Mario Barco by the Varanasi-based Kashi were knocked off a further four points to end the league at fifth spot on 35 points, while two points each were added to Churchill and Real Kashmir's tally. Inter Kashi again filed their second appeal at the CAS, which is yet to decide on the CAS' latest ruling, Inter Kashi would be at second place on 38 points below Churchill (42 points). If Inter Kashi win their second appeal, they may accumulate 42 points, while Churchill may lose two points.
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First Post
12-06-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Bhaichung Bhutia slams AIFF boss Kalyan Chaubey after India's loss to Hong Kong: 'He has destroyed Indian football'
Former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia has slammed AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey following India's defeat to Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. Bhutia accused Chaubey of destroying Indian football. read more Former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia has come down hard on the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its President Kalyan Chaubey, blaming them for the poor state of Indian football. The criticism came a day after in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. Bhutia said it was very painful to see . Bhutia directly blamed AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey for the mess. He also pointed out how the constant change in leadership was hurting the system. Bhutia raised questions about the ongoing I-League championship issue between Inter Kashi and Churchill Brothers. 'It's very painful to see… we are definitely struggling now to even qualify for the Asia Cup, which we've been qualifying for regularly. Countries like Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Jordan have qualified for the World Cup, and we are still struggling for the Asia Cup. Very unfortunate,' Bhutia told PTI. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Kalyan Chaubey has destroyed Indian football. Chaubey has to resign and leave. He has completely destroyed it. Three General Secretaries in two-and-a-half years — the entire structure, the system will have to be changed. Controversy after controversy, corruption charge… even after months now we don't know who the I-League winner is,' he said. More from Football The former striker also criticised the AIFF for letting Manolo Marquez coach both FC Goa and the Indian national team at the same time. He claimed that Marquez was appointed without the approval of the Technical Committee. Bhutia was also not happy about the decision to bring Sunil Chhetri out of international retirement. 'It was nice of him to come out of retirement, but it was a completely bad decision. Manolo should not have requested, and now we hear the Federation pushed for it. But what's changed? There is nothing happening at the grassroots. It's all negative news off the field, and that reflects on the national team's performance,' he added. India are still alive in the competition but have a very slim chance of making it to the next round. India will need to win their remaining matches and hope other results go their way so they can finish at the top and make the final round of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
India Today
12-06-2025
- Sport
- India Today
Why Manolo Marquez's India stint proves FIFA Career Mode isn't real life
In FIFA Career Mode, managing both a club and a national team is a walk in the park. You're juggling transfer windows on Monday, coaching your national team to World Cup glory by the weekend, and somehow everything fits perfectly. No angry fans, no scheduling headaches, no real-life football, in all its boldness, tried to replicate that fantasy. When the All India Football Federation handed the reins of the national team to Manolo Marquez in June 2024 while he continued as head coach of FC Goa, it felt like a daring move. After all, Marquez had earned his stripes in the ISL—smart, composed, and technically sound. If anyone could make this work, maybe it was nearly a year later, the experiment looks like a bad glitch in the matrix. India's national team is in shambles—bottom of their qualification group, three matches without a goal, and fresh off a humiliating loss to 153rd-ranked Hong Kong. What was meant to be a visionary double role is now an awkward cautionary grip on bothThis was never going to be easy. Being the boss of a club like FC Goa takes everything out of a manager—training sessions, tactical prep, squad management, post-match breakdowns. Now add to that the job of reviving a struggling national team that hasn't qualified for a major tournament in years, and you've got a recipe for calendar doesn't bend. While Marquez focused on the ISL for half the year, the national team had to make do with part-time attention. There was no long-term plan. No time for deep scouting. No time for building chemistry. And when it came time for Marquez to switch hats and take charge of the Blue Tigers, he found a side that had no rhythm, no confidence, and no clue in the final bite, even with ChhetriadvertisementOne of the biggest criticisms of Marquez's tenure has been India's complete lack of attacking threat. In desperation, Marquez even coaxed 40-year-old Sunil Chhetri out of international retirement—India's greatest ever striker, a man whose finishing is still sharper than most in the squad. Chhetri's return should've added calm, experience, and most importantly, in the crucial match against Hong Kong, Marquez benched him. And when India's new-look frontline—including the likes of Ashique Kuruniyan—missed a golden opportunity with an open goal in the 39th minute, the decision came back to haunt him. Chhetri's absence was felt immediately. If it had been him on the end of that chance, many believe the ball would have kissed the net instead of the wasn't just tactical confusion. It felt like a team caught in between generations, with no direction and no trust in its own the I-LeagueAnother worrying trend under Marquez has been his apparent disregard for the I-League—the same competition that once nurtured some of India's biggest stars. From Sandesh Jhingan to Jeje Lalpekhlua, the I-League has long been the launchpad for raw, hungry talents who later made their name in the ISL and the national with his tunnel vision locked onto ISL fixtures, Marquez has shown little interest in recognising or rewarding performances outside the ISL bubble. That's not just an oversight—it's a missed opportunity to scout the next Chhetri or Gurpreet before they're priced out of speak about I-League, but there is a difference between I-League and ISL. The strongest position in India is ISL. To play 2, 3, 4, 5 good games in I-League is not enough; you need to perform good in ISL,' Manolo told reporters ahead of India vs the national coach doesn't look at the second tier, who will? Indian football doesn't have the luxury of ignoring grassroots or lower-division talent. The I-League isn't just a relic—it's still relevant. And for a country that needs depth more than ever, brushing it aside is a critical results, angry fansLet's be real—losing to Hong Kong stung. Not just because of the rankings (India were 26 spots above them), but because of how flat India looked. There was no urgency, no spark. That result followed a goalless draw with Bangladesh and another against Thailand. Three games, zero goals, and a growing wave of fan Marquez tried to hold it together: 'The dressing room is like a funeral,' he said. And it probably was. But at some point, the emotions have to be matched with solutions. And so far, they've been now need to win all four of their remaining qualifiers to stay alive. But even one win feels like a long shot at the scouting, no depthA national team job is not just about picking the best eleven players—it's about building a pipeline, finding talent from every corner of the country, and nurturing them. But how do you do that when you're already occupied running a club?Marquez, locked into FC Goa commitments, never had time to look at players outside the obvious ISL names. The scouting structure didn't evolve. Youth players stayed on the fringes. And India's attacking woes, defensive lapses, and tactical disarray were all signs of a team that had no one fully invested in its FIFA, all your scouting reports arrive in a neat list. In reality, it takes time, effort, and patience—none of which this dual setup tickingWith matches against Singapore on the horizon in October, pressure is mounting. Marquez hasn't said he wants to step down, but there's growing noise that a change might be maybe that's for the best. Eleven months into a two-year deal, the idea has clearly not worked. Indian football needs a coach who can dedicate everything to building this team from the ground up—not someone switching roles isn't FIFAWhat Marquez's stint has taught us is simple—this isn't a game. You can't manage a club and a national team like it's a save file on FIFA. Indian football needs full-time commitment, fresh ideas, and a system that supports long-term now, it's time to put the controller down and fix what's broken. Because in real life, there's no 'simulate match' button—and definitely no restart.
India Today
11-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Kalyan Chaubey destroyed Indian football: Bhaichung Bhutia demands overhaul
Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia has launched a scathing attack on the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its president, Kalyan Chaubey, accusing them of wrecking the condition of football in the country and demanding a complete overhaul of the scathing remarks came a day after India suffered an embarrassing 0-1 defeat to Hong Kong—ranked 153rd in the world—in the third round of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. The result leaves India's hopes of qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup hanging by a very painful to see we're now struggling to even qualify for the Asia Cup, which we had been regularly making it to," Bhutia told PTI, his frustration mirroring that of fans across the country. "Countries like Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Jordan have qualified for the World Cup, and we're still battling for a place in the Asia Cup. It's very unfortunate," he added, pointing to India's stagnation in comparison to their Asian who lost to Chaubey in the AIFF presidential election in September 2022, did not hold back in his criticism, saying: "Kalyan Chaubey has destroyed Indian football. He must resign. He has completely ruined it."Highlighting the instability within the federation, Bhutia noted that the AIFF has had three General Secretaries in just over two years. "The whole structure needs to be changed. The system is broken," he defeat to Hong Kong followed a three-week training camp in Kolkata and is expected to push India down to 133 in the FIFA rankings. The current head coach, Manolo Marquez-who is also in charge of ISL club FC Goa-has overseen just one win in the national team's last eight matches. There are now growing rumours that even he is unwilling to continue in the role."The appointment of Marquez was done bypassing the Technical Committee," Bhutia alleged. "He's coaching FC Goa and the national team at the same time. How is that even allowed? It's a complete mockery."Bhutia also criticised the decision to bring Sunil Chhetri out of international retirement for the Hong Kong fixture, calling it an act of desperation rather than strategy. "It was a kind gesture from him to return, but it was a poor decision overall. We hear the Federation pushed for it, but what's changed?" he further slammed the federation for the ongoing I-League controversy, where the title race between Inter Kashi and Churchill Brothers has been marred by legal disputes. "Controversy after controversy, allegations of corruption-months have passed and we still don't know who the I-League winner is," Bhutia also mocked the AIFF's decision to offer a $50,000 (around ?42 lakh) match bonus for the Hong Kong game instead of linking it to qualification. "Why not make the reward performance-based? It just shows how clueless the management is," he lamented the lack of grassroots development and the increasing off-field chaos, which he believes is now directly affecting on-field performances. "There's absolutely nothing happening at the grassroots level. All we hear is negative news from the top, and that's reflecting in the results," Bhutia said. You May Also Like
