(From left) Shankar Mahadevan, Nim Tshering Lepcha, Bhaichung Bhutia, John D. Menyongar and Stanley Rozario, at a city hotel, on Tuesday.
Calcutta: Bhaichung Bhutia may have made himself unavailable for selection for East Bengal this season owing to injuries, but he wants to take field for United Sikkim FC (USFC). USFC is the club he co-owns, along with singer Shankar Mahadevan, and it will play in the second division I-League, which starts from March 31.
“I am still not fully fit, but I really want to play. If not from the first match, I would surely like to play some of the matches,” he said on the sidelines of the launch of the club, here, on Tuesday.
However, he did clarify that he if he decides to quit, it would be from East Bengal. “I stick to what I said earlier. I keep my promises”, he said.
For Bhaichung, it was a dream to own a football club and starting USFC was a dream come true. “It was always a dream for me to play for India. Of course, I have achieved that and I went on to lead the side for so long. My second dream was to run a football club successfully. You can say I have taken a baby-step towards fulfilling that,” Indian skipper said.
“We started USFC two years back in Sikkim in a very small way. Now, it’s time for us to move to the next level. Obviously, I want it to grow into a big club, one of the biggest in the country. It’s so important for not only Sikkim, but entire North-east India. There is an abundance of talent in that part of the country, which really needs to be nurtured.”
Bhaichung admitted it’s not easy to be an official. “Being a footballer is much easier. It’s far more difficult to be an official. Negotiating prices with the players is really awkward. Especially being a footballer, it’s so difficult to bargain with fellow players. My friend, Rennedy Singh, gave me real hard time. He had quite a few offers in hand and to coax him into the team wasn’t an easy task,” he said. But at the end of the day, Bhaichung is satisfied with the final squad.
“We have a very good team. We have a perfect mix of youngsters and experienced players along with four foreigners. As a new club, we couldn’t ask for more. But the real work is to go out and play as a team. Win is what matters in the end,” the owner said.
The players have been contracted for three months initially. The club might go for bigger names, depending on their performance in this season.
“Of course, I don’t expect anything absurd. I know how difficult it is for a new team to climb up the stairs. But our target is to establish ourselves in Indian football scenario in the next three years. I hope our youth development programme will produce quality footballers for national team regularly,” Bhaichung said.
Coach Stanley Rozario knows that the path ahead for his team may not be too rosy, but he is still confident
“We are bound to face the problems a new club faces. But we have a decent team, with lots of former East Bengal and Mohun Bagan players. They know what needs to be done in a situation like this. And the presence of Bhaichung will make all the difference. Our immediate plan is to perform well in the coming one-month and prove ourselves. A good start can work like magic,” Rozario said.