Bhaichung Bhutia Warns ‘Vision 2047 Will Turn Vision 3047’ After Indian Football Struggles
Indian football legend Bhaichung Bhutia recently spoke about the current state of the game in India, and his words carry a lot of weight. As a former captain and one of the country’s greatest players, he knows what it takes to succeed. However, he believes Indian football has a long way to go. In his view, the key to progress lies in fixing the grassroots level. Without proper work at the base, he warns, India’s “Vision 2047” plan to improve football could turn into “Vision 3047”, a delay of a hundred years.
Bhutia shared these thoughts while talking about India’s recent goalless draw against Bangladesh. For him, the match was a clear sign of India’s struggles. Playing at home against a lower-ranked team like Bangladesh, India should have controlled the game and won. Instead, the performance was flat. The attack lacked ideas, and the team depended too much on predictable moves. Players would run down the wings, cross the ball, and hope striker Sunil Chhetri could head it in. But that plan didn’t work. Bhutia pointed out a big gap between the midfield and the forwards. The team’s movement as a unit was missing, and this made it hard to create chances.
Still, Bhutia remains hopeful. He believes the issues can be fixed with more time. The team needs to train together longer to build understanding. Unlike top leagues in Europe, where players get days to prepare, India’s national team doesn’t have that luxury. New coach Manolo Marquez also needs at least a year to set up his system properly. So, Bhutia asks for patience.
When asked why India struggles to score goals, Bhutia had an interesting take. Many people blame the lack of good strikers, but he disagrees. He says football has changed. Nowadays, many teams around the world don’t even use a traditional striker. Instead, they rely on attacking midfielders to score. These players are harder for defenders to stop because they make runs from deeper positions. In the Indian Super League (ISL), Bhutia notes, Indian attacking midfielders get plenty of chances. So, he doesn’t buy the argument that strikers aren’t getting opportunities. For him, that’s a weak excuse.
But if it’s not just about strikers, why aren’t the goals coming? Bhutia explains that the problem starts early. Up to the age of 14, young players in India play a lot of football, street games, small-sided matches, and full 11-a-side games. This helps them learn the basics. However, after that age, the training system fails them. Academies don’t focus enough on teaching players how to make smart runs, find the right positions, or defend as a unit. These skills are key in modern football, but India’s grassroots programs are missing them.
Bhutia admits he faced the same issue during his career. He only learned these finer details late in his playing days, under coach Bob Houghton. Before that, neither Indian nor foreign coaches taught him these things. Back then, though, scoring was easier because defenders weren’t as organized. Today, football is more about systems. Defenders mark zones or players tightly, so attackers need to be clever with their passes and movement. Bhutia gave an example from the Bangladesh game: not one cross from the wings reached a dangerous spot. The team relied too much on Sunil Chhetri’s headers, which isn’t a smart plan.
So, what’s the solution? Bhutia believes young Indian players need to step out of their comfort zone. The ISL offers good salaries, but the level of competition isn’t high enough. Players should go abroad, even if it means earning less, to play in better leagues. Bhutia did this himself, and so did Sunil Chhetri and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. It made them better players when they returned.
Finally, Bhutia stressed the importance of grassroots development. The All India Football Federation (AIFF), led by president Kalyan Chaubey, has a “Vision 2047” plan. But Bhutia warns that without real action at the grassroots level, it’s just talk. He’s worried about the sport’s future. As a member of the AIFF’s Executive Committee, he sees a lack of commitment and fresh ideas. Grassroots programs are often rushed, lasting just 15 to 20 days, which isn’t enough to build strong players.
