Latest news with #Bhutia
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First Post
9 hours ago
- Sport
- First Post
Subrata Paul questions Indian players' attitude and team spirit: 'My responsibility to point that out'
India football team director Subrata Paul has raised concerns over the squad's attitude and team spirit after a goalless draw against Bangladesh in AFC Asian Cup qualifier in April. Bhaichung Bhutia has also commented on Paul's criticism. read more Former India goalkeeper and current national team director Subrata Paul has raised serious concerns about the Indian football team's attitude and team spirit. Paul made these comments after against Bangladesh in an Asian Cup qualifier in Shillong earlier this year. In a meeting with the (AIFF) technical committee on 17 April, Paul reportedly said that the players showed a lack of desire and spirit. According to the minutes of the meeting accessed by the Hindustan Times, Paul said the team had issues with player attitude, team unity, and even 'patriotism.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Paul highlighted several key challenges faced by the Senior National Team. These included issues related to Player's attitude (sic), patriotism and overall team spirit,' the minutes read. However, Paul later clarified that he did not talk about patriotism and that he didn't know how the word got into the minutes. More from Football Indian football legend and current executive committee member of AIFF, Bhaichung Bhutia, said Paul should explain what he meant and name the players who weren't giving their best. Bhutia and Paul were teammates during India's successful run between 2007 and 2011. 'And he should name the players who he felt had not given their best so that they are not chosen anymore,' Bhutia said. While speaking on the matter, Paul said that he didn't see the same hunger to perform for the country during the Bangladesh clash that players like Bhutia, Climax Lawrence, Deepak Mondal, and Sameer Naik had shown in the past. He added that it's his job to highlight these issues, even if some people don't like it. He also said that the team is in a transition phase with a mix of experienced and new players, which could be why they haven't gelled as a unit yet. 'I missed the desire that I saw in so many of my seniors and contemporaries such as Bhaichung bhai, Climax Lawrence, Sameer Naik, Deepak Mondal to name a few. The desire to play for the national team overrode everything including injuries,' Paul was quoted as saying by HT. 'It is my responsibility as national team director to point that out. If this makes me unpopular, so be it,' he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Even there, the performance was not what was expected and I pointed that out to the technical committee. This is a team that has some players with a lot of experience and some with little. It is a team in transition and maybe that is why it did not gel,' Paul added. The match against Bangladesh was Paul's first official game in his new role as director. Since that match, India lost two more games - a 0-2 defeat against Thailand in a friendly and a in another AFC Asian Cup qualifier.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Skeleton of Sikkim teacher, missing for seven months, found in Bengal's Siliguri
The police on Thursday found the skeletal remains, suspected to be of a Sikkim school teacher who had gone missing around seven months ago, from a house in Siliguri in neighbouring West Bengal, an officer said. The place where the skeleton was found is nearly 100 km from Namchi. (For representation) The teacher, Passang Doma Sherpa, used to work as a Nepali teacher in a government school in Sikkim's Namchi district. She had gone missing on August 7, 2024, from Namchi, and the family had lodged a missing person report, district Superintendent of Police Karma Gyamtso Bhutia said. "The police in both Sikkim and West Bengal were investigating the case, and her skeletal remains were found in the bedroom of a house owned by her at Devidanga locality in Siliguri city," Bhutia said. The place where the skeleton was found is nearly 100 km from Namchi. The house is located in an isolated area, and the police had to break open the door, which was locked from outside, to enter. The police, almost sanguine that the skeleton belonged to the missing teacher, sent it for post-mortem examination. The police will go for DNA profiling to confirm the identity of the deceased person, the SP said. Police said the investigation will continue the investigation and all possibilities, including abduction, confinement or unnatural death, are being considered. Forensic investigation is also being made to determine the cause of death, Bhutia said.
India Today
21-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
News Menu, June 21: PM's Yoga Day celebrations, Indian students return from Iran
Good morning. June 21, is the northern solstice—the longest day of the year above the equator. In 2014, the United Nations envisioned it as International Yoga Day, inspired by India's ancient practice, setting the stage for global wellness Today celebrates wellness with a news menu blending global conflicts, domestic resilience, and cultural Raita: Israel-Iran Conflict IntensifiesIran's latest missile salvo wounded 17 in Israel, three seriously, with explosions reported across multiple sites. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, condemned Israel's attacks as a 'betrayal' of diplomatic efforts, noting a stalled US-Iran nuclear agreement. Araghchi is also meeting European officials to discuss Iran's nuclear program and Trump suggests there's little he can do to stop Israel. 'They are doing well,' he said. The US president dismissed Europe's diplomatic efforts. 'Not going to be able to help,' he said, implying that a cease-fire can be brokered only by Take: Trump has set a 14-day deadline for US intervention. The New York Times notes negotiating with Tehran is time-consuming and difficult, and Trump is likely buying time for military tit-for-tat strikes risk spiraling into a broader regional conflict. Diplomatic efforts by the UN and EU face challenges due to entrenched positions. Civilian casualties and infrastructure damage underscore the urgent need for Sindhu: Indian Students' EvacuationTwo Mahan Air flights carrying 1,000 Indian students, including 500 Kashmiris, from Mashhad, Iran, land in Delhi. A third flight is scheduled for Day Delight: 11th International Yoga Day CelebrationsIndia marks the 11th International Yoga Day with nationwide events:1. Visakhapatnam: PM Narendra Modi will join a massive 26-km yoga corridor from RK Beach to Bhogapuram, Andhra Pradesh, aiming for a Guinness World Record with over 3 lakh participants from 6:30 AM to 8 AM.2. Jammu & Kashmir: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will attend celebrations in Udhampur, interacting with armed forces personnel.3. Ahmedabad: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will participate at Adalaj Vav stepwell, with ASI hosting yoga at 81 monumental Bite: Football FiascoBhaichung Bhutia slams AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey, calling Indian football a 'circus' due to poor leadership. Chaubey urges Bhutia to raise concerns at the Executive Committee Breakfast: Run Feast At LeedsIndia's next-gen stars headlined a dominating day on Day 1 of the first Test against England as Yashasvi Jaiswal (101) and Shubman Gill (127*) emerged as top scorers. A revamped Indian team finished Day 1 on 359/3 at Headingley, Leeds. A day highlighted by scintillating centuries from Jaiswal and Gill sent the message across to the entire world that even without the seniors, the new-look Indian team cannot be taken Mess: Kerala Moral Policing ArrestsadvertisementThree men were arrested by Kerala police over the death of a young woman, Raseena, who was allegedly subjected to public harassment in a suspected case of moral incident occurred on the evening of June 15 near Achankara Mosque, where Raseena was seen sitting inside a parked car with her male friend. The accused allegedly dragged the man out of the car, assaulted him in a nearby ground and seized his mobile phone and following day, Raseena was found dead by suicide at her home. She had hanged herself in her bedroom. In her suicide note, she reportedly named the three accused, one of whom is believed to be a Mix: Weather WoesSrinagar: Heatwave persists with 35.5C on Friday, 6.3C above normal. Met office predicts continued heat on IMD issues heavy rainfall warning for northwestern Pradesh: Southwest Monsoon arrives, with further advancement expected in two Bite:On June 21, 2015, the first International Yoga Day was celebrated, uniting millions in wellness. As India leads global yoga celebrations, the contrast with Middle East tensions reminds us of yoga's call for peace and balance. advertisement
Hindustan Times
21-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
No promotion and relegation for 10 years in top league proposal
Kolkata: No promotion or relegation in Indian Super League (ISL) for at least 10 years, a moratorium on expansion for a minimum of five years, ISL's rights and that of national team matches will be in perpetuity with a joint-venture company comprising ISL clubs, All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its commercial partners Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL). There shall be no promotion and relegation in ISL for at least 10 years, it has been proposed. (HT) These are among the proposals in a 22-page draft document sent by FSDL to AIFF last March after meetings to negotiate a new agreement because the current commercial deal ends this year. Which means FSDL's mandate runs only till around the middle of the 2025-26 season. Talks are on hold because the matter of the new AIFF constitution, which includes ownership of India's top men's league, is in Supreme Court. The proposal for a closed league, one where there is no promotion or relegation, is not in line with roadmap approved by Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 2019. This draft proposes a new roadmap 'pre-approved between existing parties.' 'At a meeting in April, AIFF informed the executive committee about these proposals,' said Bhaichung Bhutia on Friday. 'It is FSDL's right to give whatever proposal but did AIFF go to them after evaluating its assets including the national team? When I pointed this out, a committee was formed which would do the due diligence and talk to our commercial partners.' A former India captain, Bhutia is an AIFF executive committee member. 'In May, at a meeting in Bhubaneswar, AIFF told members that it had given a counter-proposal which pitched for continuing the current arrangement,' said another executive committee member. The member requested anonymity because the matter is in court. As per the proposal from FSDL, in the new company, 'that governs, operates, commercialises & funds ISL', AIFF will have 14% stake, ISL clubs 60% and FSDL 26%. FSDL will retain the right to veto 'with respect to certain key matters', the document says without elaboration. To be granted autonomous status by AIFF, the company will be the rights holders of ISL and national team matches in perpetuity, as per the draft document. There shall be no promotion and relegation in ISL for at least 10 years, it has been proposed. Apart from meeting sporting, licensing and financial criteria, clubs must also have the same ownership for five years to be eligible for promotion, as per the draft document. The proposal says, 'ISL shall be limited to the current number of teams (13) for at least 5 years.' HT has seen document titled 'ISL Way Forward, Draft Document for Discussion'. As per the roadmap approved by AFC, relegation from ISL was supposed to start from 2024-25. It has not. Accepted as India's top league by Asia's apex body in 2019, ISL allowed promotion for the winners of I-League from 2023-24. Punjab FC were the first team to qualify through that route followed by Mohammedan Sporting. Greenlighting this proposal would mean the 2024-25 I-League champions, to be decided in the Court of Arbitration for Sport because of a dispute over player eligibility, will be locked out of 2025-26 ISL. The proposal also calls for discontinuing the existing Master Rights Agreement through which AIFF now gets ₹ 50 crore annually. Barring ISL, football in India is run mainly through this amount. Instead, as per the document, the new company's losses will be funded or profits shared as per ownership stakes held by AIFF, ISL clubs and FSDL. Barring ISL and competitions involving national teams, AIFF will have full control of all other tournaments, according to the proposal. AIFF, the document says, should agree to this because it aligns with the 'best governance structures in the world of football.' Examples of Europe's top five leagues and those in Japan, South Korea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE being run by a separate body are listed in the document. It also says this way AIFF will comply with 'new draft constitution' which mandates that the federation 'must play a direct role in the governance of Top National League.' Clubs can gain from having a say in policy matters and have a 'strong collaborative role' in running ISL, the document says. No representative from FSDL was available for comment. But officials at clubs they have reached out to said FSDL is waiting to hear from AIFF on the proposals. Because the agreement ends in 2025, FSDL feels its role is naturally limited until clarity is reached on the league's governance and structural future, the club officials said. The officials did not want to be named as the matter is sub-judice. The club officials said FSDL were not sure that the promotion of I-League champions is helping improve the standard of ISL competitively and financially, and that the commercial partners think it is best to wait for AIFF to get the lower rungs of the pyramid more competitive before promotion and relegation works out to the benefit of the entire football ecosystem.
India Gazette
20-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Bhutia slams Kalyan Chaubey's leadership; AIFF chief says former captain making baseless allegations
New Delhi [India], June 21 (ANI): Former India football team captain Bhaichung Bhutia has launched a scathing attack on All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Kalyan Chaubey, saying that 'controversies, corruption charges, allegations' in the last two to three years have significantly damaged Indian football and that someone who will 'work sincerely and honestly' to uplift Indian football should be brought in his place. Chaubey hit back and said in statement that while Bhutia has platforms available to express his views, raise concerns, and contribute constructively for improving Indian football, he has 'consistently made baseless allegations' since his defeat in the September 2022 elections. Bhutia alleged that those who supported Chaubey in the past 'have realised their mistake'. 'I can't say whether the football will rise after Kalyan Chaubey's removal, but it definitely won't decline further. In the last 2-3 years, rankings, controversies, corruption charges, allegations, three general secretary significantly damaged Indian football... The government of India has supported sportspeople well to lead, but when the wrong people are placed in charge, it harms everyone involved. When you have people like Kalyan, it damages everyone's reputation. Those who supported him have also realised their mistake... My only request is that we bring in somebody who will work sincerely and honestly for the upliftment of football,' Bhutia told ANI. In his statement Chaubey said 'such actions not only tarnish the reputation of the Federation, but also throw Indian football in a negative light on international platforms'. 'We live in a democratic country where every citizen has the constitutional right to freedom of speech. As a member of the AIFF Executive Committee, Mr. Bhaichung Bhutia has access to an appropriate and empowered platform to express his views, raise concerns, and contribute constructively towards the development and performance of Indian football in the various AIFF Executive Committee meetings,' he said. 'It has been observed that since Mr. Bhaichung Bhutia's defeat in the September 2022 elections, he has consistently and deliberately made baseless allegations and presented a distorted image of the AIFF,' he added. Chaubey said he is open to suggestions and discussions with Bhutia. 'The AIFF always remains open to constructive suggestions from Mr. Bhutia for the growth and betterment of Indian football. However, it is unfortunate that in most Executive Committee meetings, his contributions have primarily centred around opposing decisions made collectively by the entire board, rather than offering substantial proposals,' the statement said 'Having said that, I would like to inform you that Mr. Bhutia is most welcome to participate in the upcoming AIFF Executive Committee Meeting scheduled for July 2, 2025. The official invitation for his attendance was extended by the AIFF Secretariat on June 11, 2025. He is encouraged to present any constructive proposals during the meeting, which will be duly deliberated upon by the entire executive board in the spirit of transparency, collaboration, and the collective development of Indian football,' the statement added. (ANI)
