New Delhi, June 11 (IANS) After India’s 0-1 loss to Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers, former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia strongly criticised the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for reportedly offering players a USD 50,000 bonus had they won the game.

Following a goalless draw against Bangladesh in their opening match, India desperately needed a win to stay in contention. However, their hopes were dashed by a stoppage-time penalty, leading to another disappointing result.

In an exclusive interview with IANS, Bhutia called for AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey to step down “to save Indian football” and questioned the logic behind such ad-hoc financial incentives.

“We’ve seen reports that players haven’t even received their daily allowance of RS 2,500. Indian footballers don’t have central contracts like cricketers. They don’t earn in lakhs or crores. Their compensation largely comes through daily allowances,” Bhutia said.

“Then suddenly, out of nowhere, there’s a USD 50,000 prize announcement if they had won the game. Where did this come from? If they had won, would the same bonus be offered for the next four games? There’s clearly no system, no strategy. Just random decisions with no clarity,” he said.

In July 2023, India were ranked 99th in the FIFA rankings and had a promising year—winning the Intercontinental Cup, Tri-Nation Tournament, and SAFF Championship. However, Bhutia remarked that it’s been “one disaster after another” ever since.

Following former coach Igor Stimac’s turbulent exit and India’s elimination from the FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the team went winless throughout 2024. Their only victory came recently when veteran striker Sunil Chhetri came out of retirement to lead the side to a 3-0 win over the Maldives—India’s first win in 489 days.

As nations like Uzbekistan secure their maiden World Cup qualification, India now faces the grim prospect of missing out on the 2027 Asian Cup—a tournament they’ve consistently qualified for in recent years.

Reflecting on the broader situation, Bhutia didn’t mince words, “It’s been a terrible two and a half to three years under Kalyan Chaubey’s leadership. On-field performances have been poor, and off-field management has been chaotic, riddled with controversies. It’s time for him to step down—for the sake of Indian football.”

–IANS

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