Football Federation (AIFF) will have a former footballer as president for the first time in its 85-year history, but it won’t be without a fight. Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia has upset plans of the state associations who met on Wednesday night and formed its own ‘panel’ with goalkeeper, and now BJP leader, Kalyan Chaubey as its unanimous choice for the top post. Twenty-eight state associations representatives met in the Capital to finalise the executive committee and chose Chaubey as the presidential nominee. But before the former India goalkeeper could file his nomination on Thursday morning, Bhutia walked inside the AIFF headquarters and submitted his papers, backed by Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. Besides the two former footballers, no other nomination is expected for the president’s post. “I deserve this chance and I am capable of getting Indian football back on track,” said Bhutia, India’s second-most capped footballer after Sunil Chhetri. “My life has been football. I got Arjuna (award) and Padma Shri because of football, and this is a great opportunity for all of us. Right now, it’s a mess. Football needs good reforms and management.” Bhutia, 45, the first Indian footballer to play 100 international matches, will be up against the might of Chaubey, a former India goalkeeper who represented nine clubs and five states during his career. “If given an opportunity, I will try and see that football is taken to the next level,” said Chaubey. “Football has huge potential in India. Whatever recognition I have received in the society, it’s because of football. But there is lots to be done.”
