Indian teams can qualify for World Cups on merit if country’s football structure is reformed: Bhaichung Bhutia

India’s former football captain Bhaichung Bhutia reckons India’s senior and age group teams can qualify for the World Cup on merit if the country’s football structure is reformed. The former legendary player believes the work needs to be done at the grassroots level and India can take giant strides in the sport.

Recently, FIFA imposed a ban on AIFF due to the involvement of third-party and this ban will have a lot of serious repercussions for Indian football.

Meanwhile, Bhaichung Bhutia has filed nomination papers for the post of AIFF’s president.

“Indian teams, in age groups as well as senior teams, can qualify for World Cups on merit in the coming years but for that you need reforms and clean-up in the country’s football system,” Bhutia told PTI.

“We need more focus on grassroots development, we also need to give more emphasis on state associations because the talented youngsters will come only from the states. So, more budget will have to allocate to the states.”

Meanwhile, India’s men’s team had taken part in the U-17 FIFA World Cup in 2017. The Women’s team is also expected to take part in the U-17 World Cup in October in India as FIFA is expected to soon revoke the ban.

Bhutia feels concentrating on the grassroots level and providing funding to state associations can take Indian football in the right direction.

“We have to focus more on two things. One is grassroots development and the other is more funding to state associations. There is no substitute to grassroots development, that is well known. But I want more focus and activity in that direction,” said the talisman of the national team in his playing days.

Bhutia revealed that he will try to give the best facilities to the budding players in order to get the best out of them.

“I will work for a player-centric system, give more facilities to the players. The travel and accommodation of the players will be upgraded with more budget. “For example, now if players from Arunachal Pradesh are to take part in national championships in Kerala, they travel by train for three days. But my endeavour will be to allow the players travel by air.”