I am the best man for the job: Bhaichung Bhutia

Bhaichung Bhutia is engaged in where the variables are beyond his actual control. For now, the Padma Shree awardee’s candidature for the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) presidential post has the explicit support of two, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, among the 35 state association votes. Almost embarrassed to compare his candidacy against former goalkeeper Kalyan Choubey, Bhutia spelt out his work as an administrator and his involvement with the game — since the day he hung up his boots — with a lot of diffidence.

Having played for the country for 16 years out of which 12 as captain, the Arjuna awardee carefully avoided listing his achievements on the field. His moot point in the ‘election campaign’ has been a question that he asked all the stakeholders. “Am I not a better candidate to lead AIFF out of the ‘penalty box’ that it currently finds itself in?” More rhetorical than deserving a direct response, Bhutia, at a press meet on Friday, said: “I am the right man for the post.

The federation needs a slew of reforms and I have the know-how and experience to implement those. “It is commendable that we are hosting U-17 World Cups but I would like to see India earn the right to play in a World Cup. And I know it is possible with the right management and personnel.” Bhutia had been involved in running a football club (United Sikkim), worked as the chairman of AIFF’s technical committee and had been a member of the Mission Olympic Committee since he stopped terrorizing goalkeepers with his sharpness.

“I have spent all my post-retirement years trying to give back to the game,” he said. Sourav Ganguly’s stint as an administrator seems to have had an impact on Bhutia. “We have seen how Ganguly has handled the