India바카라s 1바카라0 defeat to lower-ranked Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers has triggered widespread criticism. A stoppage-time penalty by Stefan Pereira sealed the loss, leaving India바카라s qualification hopes in serious doubt
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) fronted up on Friday, June 13, 2025, as president Kalyan Chaubey faced the media during a turbulent phase for Indian football. With the national team sliding to 133rd in the latest FIFA rankings and reeling from successive losses, the press conference came not a moment too soon.
Chaubey addressed the criticism head-on, admitting that results have been below expectations and insisting that the federation is working on course correction. The tone was firm but cautious, as questions continue to swirl over the direction and leadership of Indian football.
India바카라s 1바카라0 defeat to lower-ranked Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers has triggered widespread criticism. A stoppage-time penalty by Stefan Pereira sealed the loss, leaving India바카라s qualification hopes in serious doubt.
Coming right after a poor result against Thailand, the defeat has reignited concerns over the national team바카라s direction and the broader state of Indian football.
AIFF president Chaubey, treasurer Kipa Ajay, head of competitions Akshay Rohatgi, secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran, and director of football Subrata Paul held a press conference on Friday, June 13, to address key issues facing Indian football.
The press conference began with Chaubey addressing the uncertainty around head coach Manolo Marquez바카라s future.
바카라Manolo is a respected coach who understands Indian football well. But we바카라ve received several queries about his continuation. A decision will be made at the executive committee meeting on June 29,바카라 Chaubey said, adding, 바카라We바카라ve suffered losses, but expecting wins without scoring is unrealistic.바카라
Chaubey also highlighted India바카라s long-standing striker crisis, calling it the biggest issue in the national setup. 바카라Our main concern is the lack of goals and shortage of Indian strikers. Everyone in Indian football recognises this. One possible step could be limiting foreign players to create more opportunities for local forwards,바카라 he said.
To address the issue, Chaubey revealed plans to bring in a World Cup-winning striker to mentor young talent. 바카라We바카라re trying to get a World Cup-winning forward to work with us. The idea is to identify 4바카라5 promising strikers from the U-23 setup and have them train under him, focus on shooting, finishing, and building a natural goal-scoring instinct,바카라 he said.
AIFF President confirmed that India will officially bid to host the 2031 AFC Asian Cup, this time with strong backing from the central government. After missing out on the 2027 edition, he expressed confidence in convincing the AFC. He also revealed that India is looking to bid for other competitions, including AFC Beach Soccer and Futsal Championships.
He added that hosting major international tournaments would also require improved infrastructure. 바카라Most of our stadiums follow outdated models with athletic tracks that distance fans from the action. We've requested state governments to build new, football-specific stadiums so that spectators can enjoy matches up close,바카라 he said.
He further outlined the federation바카라s long-term grassroots vision, pointing to the success of the AIFF-FIFA Academy, which trained just 30 boys but still delivered results. 바카라Now we plan to set up five more academies, taking the number to 150 boys who will form the core of our U17, U20, U23 teams. It바카라s tough to fix things at the top, so we바카라re starting from the base,바카라 he said.
Chaubey emphasized that these aren바카라t empty promises but part of a 10-year plan. 바카라While the country is bidding for the 2036 Olympics, we바카라re also aiming for the 2031 Asian Cup. Blame is easy, it reveals more about one바카라s character than anything else.바카라
Chaubey also addressed the growing demand to include Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) in the national team setup. He said the AIFF is in touch with 33 eligible players, some of whom have already received their OCI cards, while efforts are ongoing to assist the others.
The federation has initiated discussions with various government departments to allow OCI players to represent India. 바카라The initial response has been positive, but the process will take time. We바카라re doing everything within our capacity to make this happen,바카라 he said.
Chaubey launched a strong rebuttal against Bhaichung Bhutia and others behind the recent petition challenging the AIFF. 바카라There are 3바카라4 people behind this, either former federation members or those who lost elections to my team. Allegations have been made against me and my family, but I prefer to respond with facts and numbers,바카라 he said.
Addressing Bhutia directly, Chaubey acknowledged his stature as a former player but questioned his recent actions. 바카라He is a respected former striker and was an AIFF advisor with a ₹1.5 lakh salary, with all expenses covered. As a member of the Executive Committee, he attended 11 meetings, where was this concern about corruption then? The meeting minutes are publicly available.바카라
He further accused Bhutia of misleading young players and their families. 바카라He바카라s using his name to make families believe joining his academy guarantees success. But Bhutia Academy lost 31바카라0 to Minerva Academy in March. This is about playing with the dreams of children.바카라
Chaubey also alleged that Bhutia takes crores as an advisor to various academies without actively contributing. 바카라He rarely visits these academies, and their performances have been poor in competitions,바카라 he said.