Indian football ace Baichung Bhutia has suggested that India takes part in more international tournaments to improve its FIFA ranking and urged promising youngsters to venture abroad to fine-tune their skills to international standards.
"Whenever Indian youngsters get good offers from abroad they should lap it up. Only then can they learn modern soccer techniques and taste competition at the highest level," Bhutia, who spent three years with English professional side Bury FC, said.
The Indian national side, he said, would also benefit from the rich experience of these boys taking up foreign assignments.
Expressing concern about India's inability to improve its FIFA ranking substantially, Bhutia said the AIFF should ensure that the team takes part in more international competitions.
"It is important to play more international tournaments to improve ranking. Once we move up, we will get more invitations to participate in international meets, which will in turn help in further lifting our standards," he said.
The Sikkim striker, however, expressed confidence about India climbing up the FIFA charts under the stewardship of chief national coach Stephen Constantine.
Lavishly praising the Anglo-Cypriot coach, who took over the reins of the Indian team a little over a year back, Bhutia said, "Stephen has done a great job. Under him, the players have improved a lot. The longer he stays, the better it is for India."
The star striker said Constantine had some good plans for the Indian team, and with support from the AIFF he will be able to put them in place in the near future.
Describing 2002 as a "good year" for Indian soccer, when the Busan Asiad-bound side won the L G Cup under his captaincy, Bhutia blamed a spate of injuries for the dip in performance this year.
"A number of key players were injured since late last year. I also could not assist the side after the Asiad due to injury. But the guys generally played well," Bhutia said.
"They were unlucky to draw some matches which they should have won. Again, they lost some games which they ideally should have drawn," he said.
Despite expressing happiness with the pre-season training in his club East Bengal under the South African physical trainer Kevin Jackson, Bhutia indicated that he is not in favour of recruiting a high-profile trainer for the national team.
"A trainer can produce results only over a prolonged period. But national camps are held for shorter duration. Also it is difficult to arrange for pre-season training at the national level," he said.
"I think it is the clubs which should have quality trainers to feed supremely fit players to the Indian team," Bhutia said.
He also said the national team needs the services of mercurial striker I M Vijayan.
"Once Vijayan returns to the Indian team, the problem of a second striker beside me will be solved," Bhutia said.
The Kerala-born player has been out of action for quite some time on account of injury.
"But he has to be fully fit, and I believe that he is working in that direction," Bhutia added.
Expressing conviction that Vijayan is still capable of delivering the goods for the national side, Bhutia said, "I'm sure that he can still play at the international level for a couple of years."