Baichung Bhutia bats for PSUs to be included in Santosh Trophy

JAIPUR: In a clear indication to address the players' unemployment issue, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) advisor Baichung Bhutia pushed for Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) team like ONGC and Air India to be part of the Santosh Trophy.
Previously part of the I-League, the twin outfits fell out of favour after failing to register themselves as a separate entity.
But with close to 100 players without a club owing to clubs and tournaments shutting down recently and the Football Players' Association of India (FPAI) fighting tooth and nail to combat the problem, Bhutia thought it wise to bring the PSUs in the fold which will also help player get jobs.
"I have proposed that we should allow PSU's to play in the Santosh Trophy," Bhutia told TOI from Goa hours after the Annual General meeting.
"The players who are now playing I-League or ISL, its' a good opportunity for them to play," the former India captain added.
It was learnt that a Railways representative wanted their I-League players to be included in the Santosh Trophy team, a demand which is against AIFF rules.
"They feel that by not playing the I-League players in the Railways Santosh Trophy team, they are losing out on the best players who have been employed with them and are getting paid," a official at the meeting said.
Inquired about the same Bhutia said, "I don't think this is a good idea. For instance, if a Mehtab (Hossain) who is with Railways starts playing the Santosh Trophy you are robbing a youngster's place in the midfield."
Meanwhile, AIFF president Praful Patel felt the state associations were not doing enough for the development of the game.
"I feel many states are not doing enough. If Indian football as a whole has to grow, we need more whole-hearted support and participation," Patel said.

Bhaichung Bhutia has backed the plea of the Football Players' Association of India (FPAI) of having more number of domestic players in the Indian Super League saying the number should be increased to six from the prevalent five in the starting XI. "We immediately want six Indians and five foreigners in ISL," Bhutia told TOI.
"Slowly it will be brought down to four and ISL then will fall into AFC rules," he added on the old question of one league.
According to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) rules, a maximum of four foreigners can be part of the starting line-up. "We all want one league, but there are lots of ifs and buts. It will take time. But the immediate attention should be on more representation of Indian players in the ISL," he said.