Bhutia hopeful of a 'great leap forward'

Thu, Jul 3 02:00 AM

IT WAS around this time last year that the Indian football team left for Portugal on an exposure-cum-training trip. Call it a lucky charm or twist of fate, but the trip to the Iberian country proved to be a boon.

Two wins and as many draws in Cristiano Ronaldo's motherland gave the fillip the team needed ahead of the revived Nehru Cup that India went on to win. In the wee hours of Thursday, the team will leave for a similar programme, to the same country, knowing well that a decent outing will boost its confidence ahead of what could be the toughest assignment in recent years - the AFC Challenge Cup.

"These exposure trips are always useful. Playing club sides in Portugal will ensure the players are in the right shape," said skipper Bhaichung Bhutia.

"The clubs in Europe play their pre-season games around this time so it's always a good opportunity against them," he said. "But I would like to say that the results don't really matter much here," Bhutia added.

A few wins against B and C division Portuguese clubs may not erase painful memories of the SAFF Cup final, but a positive result will ensure that Houghton's wards are in the right frame of mind before the AFC Challenge Cup. With the field packed with strong Central Asian outfits, thoughts of lifting the title are still far away, but Bhutia doesn't mind wearing the ambition on his sleeve.

"The aim is to do well," he said. Bhutia is, however, aware that the task is difficult, perhaps more difficult than the Nehru Cup, considering the 94th ranked North Korea's presence.

"The Nehru Cup was difficult. But the AFC Challenge Cup would certainly be more difficult," he said.

The Nehru Cup brought the smiles back, but almost a year on the smirk is back on the faces of those who follow Indian football keenly, thanks to the SAFF disaster. Mention June 14, the day India lost the SAFF Cup final to Maldives, and the dejection is unmistakable.

"It was quite disappointing to have lost. We were the best team in the tournament, we played well and should have won it," the skipper said.

"It, however, wouldn't have any bearing on our performance in the AFC Challenge Cup," was the calm assurance. Bhutia is looking forward to the tournament with hope.

"It is very important for us. If we win, we will qualify for the 2011 Asian Cup and that will be a great leap forward," he said.

Bhutia's words sounded similar to what he had said before the Nehru Cup. One hopes for a similarity in the results too.

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