Never thought I'd come this far: milestone-man Bhutia

New Delhi, Aug 23 (PTI) He never thought he would come
this far but Bhaichung Bhutia Sunday became the first Indian
footballer to play in 100 international matches, leading the
side against Kyrgyzstan in the crucial round-robin match of
the Nehru Cup here in the national capital.

Just before the match started, the All India Football
Federation's outgoing General Secretary Alberto Colaco and
Delhi Soccer Association President Subhash Chopra presented
Bhutia a memento to honour the Indian captain on reaching the
milestone.

"I feel honoured to play the 100th match for my
country. When I started with my first match in 1995 against
Thailand, I did not think that I would come this far. I had
thought of playing one game at a time and I have given my best
in each of them," Bhutia said after the felicitation.

Born at a sleepy but enchanting hamlet of Tinkitam in
eastern state of Sikkim, Bhutia has come a long way from
playing his first international match as a 19-year-old.

From his debut match against Thailand in the 12th
Nehru Cup in 1995, when he came in as a substitute, to playing
his 100th in the latest edition of the same tournament, it has
been a long 14-year-long roller-coaster journey in which
Bhutia has served the country with distinction.

But ironically, and with not many years left in his
illustrious career, the face of Indian football of this decade
is embroiled in a murky controversy with Mohun Bagan.

The 32-year-old Sikkimese, who had quit the game for a
few months in 2006 after falling out with then coach Syed
Nayeemuddin only to change his mind later, is technically now
serving a six-month ban without pay by Mohun Bagan for missing
team training and an exhibition match.

Bhutia has always started in the Indian first eleven
in all his 100 matches except in his debut under then India
coach Rustam Akramov.

In his career as India captain since 2002, he has led
the country to six international titles -- the LG Cup in
Vietnam in 2002, the Nehru Cup in 2007, the AFC Challenge Cup
in 2008 and three SAFF Cups.

His stellar performance in the 1992 Subroto Cup as a
cadet of SAI Centre Gangtok brought him into the limelight and
from then he has never looked back. He joined Kolkata giants
East Bengal in 1993 when he was 16.

After playing for two years with East Bengal, Bhutia
moved to JCT in 1995 and helped the Punjab side win the first
National Football League, the earlier version of the current
I-League, where he emerged as the leading goal-scorer.

And Bhutia's performance didn't go unnoticed and in
the same year, he made his international debut in the Nehru
Cup in Kolkata.

Bhutia left JCT in 1997 for East Bengal where he
remained for two years before becoming the first Indian to
play in an English professional league. He donned Bury FC
colours in the English second division from 1999 to 2002
before returning to India to join Mohun Bagan for a season.

Bhutia shifted to East Bengal in 2003 to play for that
club for three years, during which he was loaned for around
three months (August to October) to Malaysian side Perak FC.

He returned to Mohun Bagan in 2006 and has remained in
that club before the suspension issue broke out in May this
year.

Involving himself for social causes, Bhutia also
played a charity 'Goal 4 Africa' match at the Allianz Arena in
Munich in July last year to raise funds for the African
children to coincide with the 91st birthday of Apertheid hero
Nelson Mandela.

He scored twice in that match which saw players like
Michael Ballack, Clarence Seedorf and Mark van Bommel.

One of the high points of his career came when East
Bengal became the first Indian club to win an international
title, the ASEAN Cup, in 2003.

Another high point came in the AFC Challenge Cup last
year, besides being voted the most valuable player of the
tournament. The victory booked India a berth for the 2011 AFC
Asian Cup in Doha, a feat last achieved way back in 1984.

Bhutia even scored in the final match of that
tournament in Jakarta, in East Bengal's 3-1 victory over
favourites BEC Tero Sasana of Thailand. With nine goals to his
credit, he was voted player of the tournament.

His other achievements include being voted 1996 Indian
Player of the Year, top scorer and best player of the first
National Football League 1996/97, top scorer and best player
of the SAFF Cup 1999 and Asian Player of the month for May
1999 and October 2002.

For his contribution to Indian football, he was
awarded Arjuna Award in 1999 and Padma Shree last year. The
government of his home state, Sikkim, has named a stadium
after him. PTI PDS
PMR
NNNN



The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments to this
message are intended for the exclusive
use of the addressee(s) and may contain proprietary, confidential or privileged
information. If you are not the intended
recipient, you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please
notify the sender immediately and destroy
all copies of this message and any attachments contained in it.