Thaindian News

Doha, Jan 7 (IANS) In a comic flip-flop, India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia, who is struggling with a calf muscle injury, was again registered as a player in the 23-member squad by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the Asian Cup that kicked off here Friday night.Friday’s development comes after the All India Football Federation (AIFF) first registered the injured Bhutia first as a player and then as a technical official for the Asian Cup.

Just three days before India’s opening match against Australia, the team management felt he could after all be fit to play the last two games against Bahrain (Jan 14) and South Korea (Jan 18) and requested the AFC to re-register him as a player.

A top official in the team management, on condition of anonymity, told IANS that coach Bob Houghton was not sure of Bhutia’s fitness and wanted him as a technical official. Bhutia has not recovered from his calf muscle injury and has played just 30 minutes for the national team in the last 18 months.

“Houghton felt as a technical official, Bhaichung would have access to the dressing room and could have helped the team in forming the strategy. But after the coach felt Bhaichung can be a part of the team and we requested the AFC to get him registered as a player again,” a top official in the team management told IANS.

AIFF secretary-general Kushal Das also confirmed that the team management had written a letter to AFC seeking permission for Bhutia’s re-inclusion as a player.

Despite the lifeline, he is still struggling to get fit and I-League’s top scorer and Churchill Brothers striker Mohammad Rafi has been put on stand-by for the captain.

“I am still giving myself two-three days. We can make a change even six hours before the match and Rafi is travelling with us. So even if I am out, Rafi will be leading the attack with Sunil Chettri,” Bhutia told IANS. “Missing the Asian Cup would have been a disaster for me,” he added.