Star striker Bhaichung Bhutia, who had expressed his desire to quit international football last month, on Monday joined the national camp in Kolkata for the August 16 AFC Asian Cup qualifying match against Saudi Arabia and said he felt motivated to work under new chief coach Bob Houghton.
''It was a very good first day. I enjoyed the workout,'' Bhutia told newspersons after a 90-minute practice regime this evening.
Praising the British coach, he said ''Houghton is very experienced and good. He has a good long term plan. You can't expect results then and then. If the right kind of combination is given to him, the team will reach a different level in two years' time''.
Asked why he joined the camp reversing his retiremnt plans, Bhutia said ''I felt motivated after speaking to Houghton yesterday. He wanted me back. I felt the need and came back''.
''In life, one always feels the need to learn. I though I can learn a lot from this coach,'' he said.
However, he refused to comment when a scribe sought his reaction on Houghton's statement that he was against holding long-term coaching camps for the Indian team.
''I don't need to comment. These things are the prerogatives of the coach,'' said the country's most expensive footballer.
While terming the fixture against Saudi Arabia as 'very difficult', Bhutia said Houghton's training regime was 'very hard but effective'.
Bhutia lauded Sushil Singh, who was yet to join the camp.
''He is the most prominent striker in the country at the moment. Two years down the line, he will emerge as a perfect one''.
Bhutia said that the Indian team needed the services of the young Sushil Singh. ''We need a fighter like him in the camp. But I don't think I need to say anything, the coach must be aware''.
To another query, the Sikkimese said that there was no dearth of strikers in India, and mentioned Manjit Singh, Sunil Chhetri and Syed Rahim Nabi apart from Sushil as the most potent upfronters.
Bhutia, who was Indian captain till he opted out of the recent trip to Canada where S Venkatesh took on the mantle, said that he enjoyed leading team. ''But the captaincy issue will not be a problem. It doesn't matter whether I am the captain or not''.
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