Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia said the All India Football Federation (AIFF) chose him because he is unlikely to make too many demands. Bhaichung, speaking to PTI after the Fidel Castro Centenary Football Cup’s exhibition match, also said he feels sorry for Jamil for taking charge of the senior national team at a difficult time.

“We have got two world-class coaches (Igor Stimac and Manolo Marquez) leaving. If these two coaches could not work with the AIFF, then you bring people who will listen and will do what the federation says,” Bhutia said.

When asked about coach Jamil’s ability, Bhaichung explained, “I think Jamil being a domestic coach fits into that, as he is fairly new to the team. I feel sorry for him as well, as he is taking charge of the team when it’s in a very difficult situation,” he added.

Aiming AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey Bhutia said, “For Kalyan, he (Jamil) is the right guy because Indian coaches do not demand much.

“At the same time, he is saying that there are financial problems, and today the AIFF has gone into such a bad situation that we don’t have money to pay the coaches as well.”

Chaubey had recently admitted that club football is “going through a crisis” due to the uncertainty surrounding the Indian Super League, while attributing the situation to “some self-claimed reformers with vested interests”.

Bhutia also raised concerns over the federation’s handling of administrative matters.

“When the Supreme Court appointed the ad-hoc committee to run the federation for the Under-17 Women’s World Cup, the federation should have asked the SC whether we can run it, or we should have a new body.

“That delay of three years clashed with the MRA rights getting over. That timing could have been tackled much more before coming to this stage. They should have gone to the SC and asked. I have been saying this to find out whether this body can continue, which they did not do purposely,” Bhutia added.