The critics may be baying for national football coach Bob Houghton's blood after India's SAFF Cup debacle but captain Baichung Bhutia believes the Englishman is the best coach the team has had for a long time and he should be given a second tenure.
Houghton's three-year contract expires in May 2009 but Baichung wants the widely respected former Fulham midfielder to be given another tenure as his continuation will only "help Indian football."
"I am definitely looking forward to Bob continuing. I think his going will be a huge loss for India because we learnt a lot as a player under him," Baichung said.
"Bob alone can't do much for Indian football, lots of things need to be worked out for the development of football in the country. But, when you play under an intelligent coach like Bob, it benefits you, not necessarily in the short term but in the longer run. It helps even after your career," he said.
Houghton was criticised in some quarters after India lost 0-1 to Maldives in the SAFF Cup final in Colombo a fortnight ago with former coach Syed Nayeemuddin asking for the 60-year-old Englishman's head.
Baichung, who did not share a good relationship with Nayeemuddin when the Dronacharya awardee was at the helm, refused to comment on his latest comments but said for the last four decades Indian footballers have not had an "intelligent" coach like Houghton.
"I don't want to comment on that. That is his [Nayeemuddin's] opinion and best left to him," he said.
"But, it is important to train under a good coach. If you play under a coach you don't learn anything from, that does not benefit you," he said.
"That is what has been happening in Indian football for the last 30 or 40 years. I feel sad that the past players have not been lucky to train under a coach like Bob for so long," Baichung said.
The Mohun Bagan striker, who began his international career in 1995 in a Nehru Cup match against Uzbekistan, said Indian football has not moved forward in the last 15 years.
"In terms of standard of Indian players it has improved quite a bit, the rest has remained more or less the same. Facilities have improved a bit but the infrastructure has not changed at all," said the 31-year-old Sikkimese, who was recently conferred Padma Shree by the Indian government.
Baichung also refused to buy the line that after the historic Nehru Cup triumph in August last year, Indian football had nothing to talk about in terms of achievement.
"We had not played much international football. After the Nehru Cup we were playing an international tournament [SAFF Cup] after nine months. In between we did not play well in the first match of World Cup qualifiers against Lebanon but played well in the second [home leg] match, so it is difficult to judge how well we have been doing," he reasoned.
In his 13-year international career, Baichung has tasted many a success ranging from winning three SAFF titles, leading India to the LG Cup triumph in 2002 and the Nehru Cup win besides a host of club titles at the national level, and said he is happy with what he has achieved.
"Actually, I had not set what I wanted to achieve this and that. I take one day at a time and see how things happen. I am happy with what I have achieved in my career," he said.
Asked whether not getting to play in a first division club in Europe was an unfulfilled dream, he said, "I don't think so. Any international footballer dreams of playing for Manchester United or Arsenal. But you have to be realistic and keep working hard," he said.
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