AIFF should go live on social media whenever there is executive committee meeting: Bhaichung Bhutia

Tampering with the minutes of a meeting is a huge offence. The people responsible should have known this, says former India captain

Bhaichung Bhutia.: File picture 

Angshuman Roy, TT, Calcutta, 19.12.23 : Bhaichung Bhutia, the former India captain and currently an executive committee member of the All India Football Federation, is not happy with the way the federation is working.

The Kalyan Chaubey-headed AIFF is at the centre of a controversy after it was reported that the draft minutes of an executive committee meeting were changed. The meeting was called on November 9 to ratify the sacking of secretary-general Shaji Prabhakaran. On December 14, the federation circulated the draft and then changed it two days later.

The Delhi High Court had stayed Prabhakaran’s removal on December 8 and the

next hearing is slated for Wednesday.

“I am not happy with the way this has been handled. I have one suggestion. The AIFF should go live on social media whenever there is an executive committee meeting. We need transparency. If the Supreme Court hearings and Parliament sessions are live, why cannot the AIFF do it? What is there to hide, I do not understand. They can do it on Facebook or YouTube. What’s the big deal,” Bhutia told The Telegraph from Gangtok on Monday.

Bhutia did not attend the November 9 meeting held in the capital.

In the revised draft of the minutes, the AIFF inserted a paragraph that ratified the decisions of the emergency committee relating to the termination of Prabhakaran and the appointment of acting secretary-general M. Satyanarayan.

Bhutia said AIFF should not have done this. “Tampering with the minutes of a meeting is a huge offence. The people responsible should have known this. The federation may have landed itself in big trouble,” he said.

Bhutia fought for the AIFF president’s post last year but was trounced by former teammate Chaubey, who had the overwhelming support of the state associations.

League Cup: Newcastle test for Pochettino

Reuters, London: Mauricio Pochettino endured several near-misses with Tottenham Hotspur and left without winning any silverware so Chelsea’s League Cup quarter final at home to Newcastle United will not be taken lightly by the Argentine.

Pochettino’s main priority might be to revive Chelsea’s Premier League fortunes and return the club to the Champions League arena, but he needs no reminding that he is still without any honours in English football.

The last time Chelsea won the League Cup was in 2015 when they beat Pochettino’s Tottenham.

Pochettino also took Spurs close to winning the Premier League, to the Champions League final and back-to-back FA Cup semi-finals.

“Of course, I want to win a trophy here in England,” Pochettino told reporters when asked whether the League Cup had become more important this season given Chelsea’s mid-table position in the Premier League.

“It means a lot because we want to deliver the job for our club. We need to be ready tomorrow (Tuesday) to be closer to winning a title. My desire is to win.”

Pochettino’s first season at Stamford Bridge has been a difficult one so far as he tries to find the right formula for an expensively-assembled squad.

Newcastle will also be desperate to reach the League Cup final again after losing to Manchester United last season — denying them a first major trophy for 55 years.