Date:20/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/20/stories/2008072056151800.htm

Sport - Football

We need to work hard: Bhutia

V.V. Subrahmanyam

HYDERABAD: Baichung Bhutia, who holds the key to India’s fortunes in the AFC Challenge Cup football championship which commences here from July 30, believes that the host has a very good chance but need to work really hard.

“No doubt, this is a difficult tournament featuring some of the top Asian teams. But, we can spring a surprise if we play to our potential,” the mercurial striker said when The Hindu caught up with him at the Lal Bahadur Stadium where the Indian team is training.

Immediate goals

“We should look back at the Nehru Cup triumph almost a year ago as a very significant achievement. At the same time we must remember the immediate goals on hand. Definitely, that victory was one of the high-points of Indian football,” the 32-year-old Bhutia said.

Reflecting on the prospects of taking on teams like Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, Bhutia said that Afghanistan players mostly stay abroad for their training programmes and most of them had been playing in foreign leagues.

“They should be a very competitive side in the AFC Challenge here,” he said. “But I am confident my boys would put up a fine show here,” he added.

The India captain also said that the recent 14-day exposure in Portugal has helped the team ahead of the important event here. “It is always better to go out there and play with some big names and be richer in experience,” he pointed out.

Just media hype

Questioned whether the pressure will be more on him as a player considering that he hogs the limelight every time the team plays, the modest striker felt that it was all media hype. “There are equally good players in the side who actually don’t get the focus. I wish they get their due,” Bhutia said with a smile.

Fresh from the experience of rubbing shoulders with some football greats and legends from other disciplines like Michael Schumacher during the exhibition match for ‘Goal For Africa’, Bhutia recalled that it was a huge honour to be a part of such a noble cause.

Bhutia viewed the AFC Challenge as a big opportunity to showcase his skills before home crowds and guide the destiny of his team.

“Winning any event at home is a special feeling and we are all trying to achieve that goal,” he said.