A lot needs to be done to raise Indian football standards: Bhaichung Bhutia

When one talks of Indian football, the name that automatically come into the one’s thought is Bhaichung Bhutia. The Indian skipper has for long been the torchbearer for the people’s game in the country. ‘The Sikkimese Sniper’ even busier these days apart from his footballing career as he attempts to do some ‘cha-cha’ in a reality dance show. Amongst all the humdrum, Bhaichung Bhutia speaks to ADC on football and more.


Q. What attracted you to the game of football which is not so much popular in India?
A: It was the environment in Sikkim. The game was very popular back there. Hence, I took up the game.

Q. When people come up to you and called you ‘the Sachin Tendulkar of Indian football’ - how do you react to such statements?
A: I think there will always be comparisons. At the end of the day, if I need to play I need to work hard. It all comes down to me.

Q. Last year was a very fruitful year for Indian football. India won the AFC Challenge Cup and qualified for the 2011 Asia Cup. Your thoughts.
A: It has been a great year. The way it has been for the last one-two years, it has been fantastic. The problem is that we don’t build up after that, which is the biggest setback. Even after the AFC Cup we played only one match in between and there are no international matches. So that is a very sad affair.

Q. Coach Bob Houghton has been talking about India's possibility of playing the 2018 World Cup. Do you think that's possible? What should be the roadmap India should follow?
A: I don’t know what Bob has said. But if we have to be there then we will have to start working on the infrastructure and youth development programme and then take a realistic look at it. Right now we don’t have any such programmes so it will be difficult to put a dateline to it.

Q. Do you think that the Indian team is unable to play international matches due to the prolonged domestic season?
A: Citing the current calendar it is not possible. I think we tend to focus a lot on the domestic season, which is a nice thing but at the same time we need to make sure our national team gets enough chance.

Q. Indian players, of late, have been linked with several clubs abroad. Sunil Chhetri even had a trial at Coventry. Do you think it would benefit Indian football in any way? Will the popularity of the I-League go down if the league is robbed of its star names?
A: I think the game will still go on. With me being there or not or Sunil or Steven or not, it won’t take away from the game its sheen. It won’t affect Indian football in any way.

Q. You were the first Indian to be signed with the English Premier League. What was the difference playing with FC Bury and Penang FC?
A: It was a very turning experience. The biggest football is in Europe and in England. To be a part of it and witness the infrastructure and the system, it was a different experience. In England it’s very physical and the pace is fast as compared to the Asian clubs.

Q. You have been one of the most consistent players in the Indian circuit. What does it take to be there on top?
A: It’s about enjoying the game and keep working hard and wanting to win more matches. It’s the hunger to win, hunger to want more.

Q. Where do you see Indian football heading in the distant future?
A: I only hope that it goes in the right direction. Things are looking good but we have got to work on it. There are a lot of things to be done.

Q. Will you be playing in the 2011 Asia Cup?
A: It is a very difficult to answer right now. I may or may not.

Q. You married your long time girl friend Madhuri Tipnis? How has life changed for you since then?
A: Life changes because family becomes the priority, even sometimes before the game as well.

Q. Recently you took off your soccer shoes and put on your dancing shoes.
A: It’s been a great experience with ‘Jhalak Dikhlaja III’. Dancing is difficult in front of the live audience than playing football in a stadium. It was good that I didn’t miss the steps because it is very tough. You got to follow the wordings, the music and also the steps. It’s too many things that one mind has to do.

Highest Moment – Winning the AFC Cup 2008
Lowest Moment – Not winning the I League last year

Favourite Fives
Footballer: Diego Maradona
Club: Arsenal
Car: Honda Civic
Actor: Al Pacino
Music: Music is open

- NEIL JOSHI
-

BADSHAHS of Bhiwani!!!

BY NEIL JOSHI

Much was expected from the boxers in Beijing after they reached the quarter finals but only Vijender Singh returned with the bronze while Jitender and Akhil Kumar won hearts with their resilience and character shown in the ring. Akhil, who lost in the quarters, defeated the world champion Sergey Vodopyanov in the round of 16 which brought the champion to tears. But something was missing and they found the missing element when they went to Moscow and conquered the bronze medals in the AIBA World Cup to end 2008 on a high.

Fly-weight category pugilist Jitender Kumar won convincingly 18-6 against Jo Gage of Wales while Akhil Kumar put up a strong fight against Olympic silver medallist Leon Alarcon Yankiel in the semis. Akhil, who had made it to the Beijing Olympics quarterfinal, fought bravely in the 54-kg (bantamweight) category. Akhil and Cuban Yankiel were tied 4:4 but the latter was declared the winner on countback.

But their success story goes back in time when Akhil Kumar’s brother Shailendra who urged the Gurgaon boy to pick up an individual sport like boxing rather than waste his time in playing cricket in the alleys. “The entire day I used to play cricket. Then my brother told me that if I wanted to do anything then I should pick up an individual sport. Since I used to box a little, he told me to take up to boxing.”

But there was a roadblock as boxing required the permission of a jail warden of Rohtak Jail – his father who along with the rest of his family opposed, as that meant that their son would come home with black eyes, scars and swollen cheekbones. “My mother used to fear a lot when I sometimes came home with black eyes. She didn’t want me to take up boxing. It was my brother who convinced them. I didn’t like to study, so along with boxing I participated in stage shows,” said Akhil.

Jitender Kumar, the cousin of Akhil – his entry in to the sport was quite natural and was guided at every step by Akhil himself. “He told me to take up the sport and my family supported Akhil’s decision. He is everything for me.”

Jitender’s big breakthrough was when he impressed the selectors during the trials for the Commonwealth Games in 2006 where he fought against Mohammed Ali Qamar and Balbir Singh. “I threw enough punches at them to impress the selectors,” said Jitender.

Akhil mentioned that he experienced so much pain during the training that he eventually fell in love with it. “I just loved the pain. After a hard day’s work, the sleep you got them was simply indescribable. I was at peace with it.”

Akhil Kumar, an ardent movie buff was so much impressed with the movie ‘Boxer’ that he borrowed some of the moves made by actor Mithin Chakraborty in the film. . “I love the ‘Rocky’ movies and my favourite is ‘Rocky 4’… it’s just so motivating. ‘Rocky’ motivated the middle class because he also was of the same background and gave us a reason to dream big. But Mithun’s movie taught me a couple of moves which till today I use with great success.”

Jitender, who always wanted to be a cop just like his father who was a ‘siphai’ in the army, took up the job of the DSP rather joining the railways. “My father was the ‘sipahi’ in the army and now I become the DSP. The feeling is totally different. Even the Railways have offered me a post but I have always wanted to be a cop.”

Fame has not changed either of them, feels Akhil, except for that occasional burger at the McDonalds. “The only difference is that we are known to people and eat at places like McDonalds. We are still the same inside.” But both the boxers have decided in competing in a higher weight category and have begun training. Both of them travelled to South Africa with their physio for endurance and strength training. “I felt that I was lacking in endurance and technique so I learnt a lot out there,” said Jitender.
Both of them are eyeing the medal in next year’s Commonwealth Games in Delhi. “Nothing is impossible. We will work hard and get the gold for India,” he added.

Akhil who is regarded as the one who groomed pugilists like Jitender and Vijender downplays such statements. “I am not the master of anybody’s destiny. Vijender and Jitu chose to be what they wanted. I was just there to guide them.”

I want to win an Olympic gold: Saina Nehwal

Sania Nehwal broke the barriers of Indian badminton and strode into the top ten, making her the first female in India to conquer such an glory. Being named as the most promising player of 2008, she is definitely India’s medal prospect for the Commonwealth Games 2010 and the London Olympics in 2012. She speaks to Neil Joshi about her her quest for India’s first Olympic gold in badminton.

Q. The year 2008 was the best year so far in your career. Can you sum it up?
A: It was a great last year. I played continuously for eight-nine months and won crucial matches and also did well in the tournaments. There was lot of improvement and I got a lot of confidence.

Q. On the race to the number one spot?
A: I never expected to be in the top ten when I started playing badminton. I don’t set short-term targets. I just want to put loads of hard work into my play. It is a very long journey. First, I should be targeting the top five. The road ahead is going to be very tough as I will be playing the champions and I have a lot to learn from them.

Q. On parental support?
A: Both my parents have provided me with lots of support during my early days. They use to plat at the club level and they trained me in the evening. I use to train with the academy in the morning and at my father’s office there was a badminton court. I use to work on my shots there.

Q. On high expectations from different quarters for you to perform?
A: There will be lot of expectations from all quarters. People, when they meet me, they say nice words. It feels nice to hear that. But if I have to keep that performance going then I need to train harder. I want to win plenty of medals for my country and for myself.

Q. The gold medal at Beijing eluded you this time. Your comments?
A: Since I was a child, I always had a dream to win gold at the Olympics. Since then, it was my main goal and that still remains.

Q. On cricket taking over other sports?
A: There is no use of playing any other sport except cricket. I have nothing against cricket but all the sponsors run behind cricketers as if there is no other sport played in the country. People only like watching cricket despite it not being an Olympic sport. It is useless playing any other sport because you are not recognised. If we loose in the first round there is no news about us in the media, but it is not the case with cricket.

Q. Solution and the planning for 2010 Commonwealth Games?
A: What we need is the same amount of money given to cricket and a drastic change in the mindset of the sponsors. I just don’t see India winning more than two medals in the London Olympics – probably a gold or a bronze. Forget the hopes of bagging 10-20 medals.

Favourties Fives:
Movie Chak De India
Food Paneer and Naan
Actor Shah Rukh Khan
Book Archie’s
Sportsperson Roger Federer

Bindra’s Beijing gold puts sports on a pedestal!

Abhinav Bindra was crowned the golden boy of 2008 as he showed the world and India that we were not sitting ducks in Olympic sports. With the gold medal he made the people of India realize that cricket wasn’t the end of the world and there were many more dreams to be realized. In an interview with NEIL JOSHI, he narrated the journey to his gold, the need of the hour and tackling female attention he received.

Q. It has been almost six months since you have won the gold in Beijing. You were tied with Henri Hakkinen before the final shot. Can you relive the moment of glory.
A: It was the greatest moment of my life. It was something that I aspired all my life; it just was my dream to win the gold. My dream couldn’t have been fulfilled in a better fashion. The competition was absolutely tough and it took a lifetime of preparation and it came down to a single shot. I couldn’t have asked for more.

Q. The gold and the bronze were just an injection needed to boost Olympic sports in the country. What difference have you witnessed in the past six months?
A: The biggest positive change is the change of outlook and attitude and I had the chance to interact with a lot of athletes. Earlier, it used to seem as a distant dream, but now it is a reality. Now everyone is talking about winning gold and other medals. So everybody is aspiring and aiming high like never before.

Q. You won India’s first gold medal ending the drought of 28 years. Were you expecting such a warm reception on your arrival and has that moment sunk in yet for you?
A: The moment of winning the gold has sunk in by now. The whole country was waiting for this. It has taken a very very long time. I was overwhelmed by the reaction and the goodwill generated by my victory and I am grateful to everyone.

Q. How do you see India capitalise on the medals won at Beijing. And what measures do you suggest for India to be a sports playing nation rather than a sports loving nation?
A: There needs to be a change of attitude towards sports and we should start investing in sports. Sports can be a very powerful platform to build our global reputation as a country. It’s very important that our country pays attention to Olympic sports in particular and if that happens, more and more people at the grassroots will get opportunities to succeed. We will then have more athletes performing at the higher level.

Q. What was the phase for you between 2004 and 2008?
A: The 2004 Olympics was a little disappointing for me, I went in to the final shot and finished seventh. My planning for Beijing 2008 grew out from the disappointment that very evening. I planned for every eventuality. It took a lifetime of preparations… I went all out. My training stopped at nothing in terms of effort, organization. I even planned for a malfunction which actually did happen to me.

Q. Do you think that you were pampered a lot during your growing up days?
A: I don’t think I was a pampered child. But I did get what I wanted. My parents were very supportive and always wanted me to have good values and a direction in life.

Q. What was your first experience with a gun and when did you take a decision of entering this profession full time?
A: I started when I was 12. I was very addicted towards the gun then. I played club competition and then I kept training and I started winning and my goals started becoming bigger and then I started dreaming bigger. It was 1998-99 when I believed that I could go to the Olympics. When I was 17, I went to the 2000 Games in Sydney. I had been to big competitions before – I had been to the Commonwealth Games when I was 15. In the Commonwealth Games there were just a few countries as compared to the whole world in the Sydney Games and in Sydney I realized how big the world really is. As a competitor I believed that I want to take on the world and wanted to beat everybody and I wanted to be the best.

Q. Who gave you your first gun?
A: My father got it for me. My aunt living in America organised to get my first gun. I was 15 when I got it.

Q. How did you cope with so much female attention and those marriage proposals that came along after the Beijing Games?
A: I didn’t receive as much female attention. I haven’t got any marriage proposals, its just media created. I am a very private person and suddenly became very popular. I suddenly had to deal with it because I became a public person. It’s been a challenge and something I had to deal with. I don’t know whether I like it but I couldn’t really do anything about it.

Q. When was the first time after the Beijing Olympics you picked up the gun?
A: I started training maybe two weeks after the Olympics. It brings me peace and mental sanity. However, I have not chalked out my immediate goals so far.

Q: You are planning a shooting range for aspiring shooters. How is the project shaping up and what assistance have you received from the Indian Olympic Association or the Sports Ministry?
A: I haven’t got any support for the project from the IOA or the Sports Ministry. It is my personal initiative that I have taken. It is something that I would like to give back to sports – not just to shooting but sports in general. It has hit a few roadblocks considering the meltdown in economy has delayed things. It is something that I am passionate about and I hope it comes through as soon as possible.

Q. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police approached you to provide coaching to their men in view of the Delhi Games. Can you throw some light on that development?
A: I am not very clear as to what they wanted me to do. I was there with them at a tournament in November but I haven’t actually got any official communication from them. I will be happy and willing to assist.

Q. There is the Australia Cup along with the World Cup in Munich, Milan and Minsk. How is your preparation going on for that?
A: I have just started to train. I don’t have goals yet and I am not pushing it. I would like to follow my guts and instinct and just follow that path because that’s me. We have the World Cup this year. There is no Olympic qualification this year. It will only begin in 2010, so competitions are there this year but not of much significance for me personally.

‘I was the only poster boy in Indian hockey’

BY DHANRAJ PILLAY

It went without saying that I had to be a hockey player. Hockey was in our blood. My father played hockey, his four brothers were hockey players. Even my mother’s brother was a hockey player. I grew up in an environment with hockey players around me. Sometimes when we played matches, there were instances that there were two sons and my father on one side while in the rest we played in opposite teams at the Ammunition Factory Ground in Khadki.
It was in 1982 that I was selected for my school nationals in Amravati. I was the lone player from my school. At that time I didn’t get a place in the side, but in 1985 I realised that through hockey I can do a lot, I could also get a job. I could provide a good life style to my family. My inspiration was my brother Ramesh, he inspired all the brothers.
It was then that in 1987, I moved to Bombay and in the next year, I got to rub shoulders with Joaquim. It was then I realised that I could play for the country. I used to adopt the game of Mohammed Shahid because when he played, the entire world would watch him. He was like a magician with the hockey stick in his hand. He used to enjoy his game a lot. After watching him, I decided that I wanted to be a player like Mohammed Shahid.

Journey from Khadki to Bombay
My mother pushed me and my brother to pursue hockey. Education-wise we weren’t really good. My parents had the hope that through hockey we could achieve a lot. I left studies after the 10th standard. The national championship came along so I had to choose between the two of them. I played the 1986 national championship and never fell back on studies again.

Olympic Experience
The Sydney Olympics was one such Olympics where we could have reached the semis and then the finals. Under my captaincy, we won the Asian games in 1998, the Asia Cup – which we won after 19 years. But there is bitterness within me because we haven’t been able to win a World Cup or at the Olympics and that will stay in my mind and heart for the rest of my life. Someday, when I will become a national coach, I will definitely try to win a medal in the Olympics. Not winning the Olympics and the World Cup have been my biggest regret till date.

On the rift between IHF and players
I was the only player fighting for our rights. What we deserved we didn’t get. I can say I was the only poster boy in Indian hockey. I wanted to do lot of endorsements - many multinational companies signed me. But the Federation never encouraged us to promote any endorsements. They never wanted players should become rich.

Association with Foreign clubs
Indian players have lost their reputation abroad. When I was playing in Germany and other countries, I was playing with respect. I was earning money too. It wasn’t just money – I was earning respectable money. I feel ashamed that our players today play for a paltry sum. They are good players who play for the country. They sign contracts and stay over there for 2-2 ½ months – its better that they don’t go and waste their time. I was the only guy who played in six countries. Till Gagan Ajit, Deepak Thakur, Sandeep Singh or Len Aiyappa – that time it was really good because I used to guide them. They used to sign with a person who wasn’t a qualified coach and who hasn’t played hockey in his country.

On the PHL
The only help was from the broadcasters and federation. Besides, Chandigarh there was no crowd; there was no monetary benefit for the players. Only the seniormost players got one lakh per month along with the skipper. Other players like Baljit Dhillion, Baljit Saini were getting Rs. 35,000-50,000. I was the seniormost player for Maratha Warriors and I wasn’t made the captain – that bitterness is still there.

Hockey Goes Down The Drain
After the Beijing Olympics, hockey has gone down the drain. We should have performed in the qualifiers. But we couldn’t. It was the first time in history that we couldn’t qualify for the World Cup. Immediately after that the coach was changed and again the likes and dislikes started.

Foreign Coaches
There were a lot of controversies. Since the last 15 years I was adamant that we didn’t need a foreign coach. In 1994, I said we don’t require a foreign coach, we require an expert who can give us expert training in penalty corners and teach us the European standard of hockey, when and when not to dodge. For full time we don’t require a foreign coach as the chief coach of the Indian hockey.

Restructuring Indian hockey
I will get ten sponsors. I will go and beg everybody – from multinational companies and whatever connections I have. The people who like me and who follow the game. Everyone likes to see Indian hockey on the top. Whenever, I meet Anil Ambani he always speaks about hockey.
They knew that all hockey players are from the middle class - once they gave them good accommodation or new jerseys, the boys were made to feel happy with that. But when I started playing in the foreign league I realized that asking money is our right. Those who have not played hockey even at their homes are boozing around as if that they are the godfathers of Indian hockey.

On Coaching
I am still not completely into coaching. The day I do it I will stop playing domestic hockey. In 2001, I started my academy – at that time I could spare more time for coaching than now. What I learned in foreign clubs, I have shared those expertise. Some of the clubs out there wanted my inputs before the match. I know what is required to become a good player. And that is what I tell the boys.

Marriage Plans
I was so involved with my hockey when I was playing for the country I just wanted to achieve and do something. I really wanted the Arjuna Award, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Padmashree and State awards. My brother always told me when I started playing for the country that anyone can play for the country but after being a part of the team, staying there for 10-15 years is very difficult; if you can achieve that then there will be no player like you in India. To be there for 16 years it takes a lot of pain, hard work, determination and that is why I couldn’t think of marriage.

QUICK FIRE
Player – Mohammed Shahid (India), Marc Dellison (Holland) and Farhad Khan (Pakistan)
League – German
Toughest Opponent – Holland, Pakistan and Germany

(As told to Neil Joshi)