New delhi: Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia feels “sorry” for Khalid Jamil, who has taken charge of the national football team at a time when the sport is going through a difficult phase in the country and said the AIFF preferred him because he is unlikely to make too many demands.
Jamil, who replaced Spaniard Manolo Marquez, became the first Indian in 13 years to be appointed as head coach of the senior national team.
“We have got two world class coaches leaving, we have got Igor Štimac who coached the Croatian team, and then Manolo Marquez who is one of the great coaches with great history,” Bhutia said after the Fidel Castro Centenary Football Cup’s exhibition match.
“If these two coaches couldn’t work with the federation, then you bring people who will listen and will do what Federations says and will not come up with his own ideas and demands from the federation. I think Jamil being a domestic coach fits into that as he is fairly new to the team. (Feel) sorry for him as well as he is taking charge of the team when it’s in a very difficult
situation,” he added.
Taking aim at AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, Bhutia said: “For Kalyan, he is the right guys because Indian coaches do not demand much.” Agencies