Niuland, 29 September (MTNews): Former India national captain Bhaichung Bhutia emphasized the need for the state to prioritize the development of football grounds over infrastructure to produce quality footballers. He stated this during an interaction with the media at the closing ceremony of the 25th Western Sumi Sports Association meet in Niuland district, where he was the guest of honor.
Bhutia remarked, “We don’t need great infrastructure, and this is not just about Nagaland; it’s about the entire country. When we speak of infrastructure, we think of stadiums. We need to build football grounds and make access to sports and grounds where kids can go and play football. We need to focus on building good grounds rather than on infrastructure.”
Drawing from his experience as a footballer, he advised the state to concentrate on grassroots-level football, starting at the village level, as many talented footballers emerge from these grassroots programs. Bhutia also encouraged the state Football Association (FA) to invest time and energy in organizing grassroots coaching programs, tournaments, and creating the right platform for young talents to excel in football. Additionally, he stressed the importance of training coaches, and suggested that retired footballers should be encouraged and given opportunities to promote young players using their expertise.
While speaking on the recent All India Football Federation (AIFF) election, Bhutia said the state FA or AIFF needs to bring in good people who are passionate about sports. “Just being in the chair isn’t enough,” he said, and emphasized that we need to initiate change starting from the state associations.
He also urged all stakeholders to put in the effort to promote the sport.