Kalyan Chaubey is being misled by states: Bhaichung Bhutia

Bhaichung Bhutia ensured that there would be a match in the All Indian Football Federation (AIFF) elections when he filed his nomination for the post of the president against Kalyan Chaubey, proposed and seconded by Andhra and Rajasthan. He spoke to TOI on Thursday. Excerpts:From claiming to fight for the players and standing from that plank a couple of days ago to now being nominated like this, what changed in the interim?I’ve always said before, this is my life. I have been in football for 40 years now, and this is what I know. I have the know-how, the knowledge to serve Indian football. And players know these things best. I can work closely with states as a team for development of Indian football.

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Kalyan Chaubey too claims to have the same vision as you...What stops Kalyan from working closely with me? I am the more experienced player, and have more experience in working with the states. I know FIFA and the AFC, they know me... Football is a team game, and senior, mature players are known to turn ‘libero’ in their later years and control the game from the back? Surely, there is a role for you... No, it doesn’t work like that. Kalyan is a great guy, I’ve known him well but I also feel that he is being misled by the states in the case.

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