India football captain Baichung Bhutia hit out at the organizers of the Durand Cup, saying there is no use holding the tournament just for the sake of it.
"It is the second oldest tournament in the world and it should be organised in a better way. It should be more lengthy and more organised.
"It has to have some interest. There is no use organizing it just for the sake of it," Bhutia said, slamming the cramped schedule that packs 15 matches in 10 days with 12 teams in the fray.
Bhutia was also critical of the All India Football Federation's football calendar, which gives players no respite.
Last week the football ace was in Hyderabad doing national duty at the Afro-Asian Games, where he led India to the silver medal. India lost to Uzbekistan 0-1 in the final.
On Sunday he played in the Kolkata League play-off against Mohun Bagan before rushing to play in Delhi for East Bengal in the 116th Durand Cup.
He also expressed unhappiness about the treatment being meted out to players at the Durand Cup.
"They should provide proper infrastructure and facilities for the players to practice and also proper transport for them to go for play and practice," Bhutia said after helping East Bengal beat Indian Bank in their opening fixture of the tournament on Tuesday.
He said the Indian Army, which conducts the tournament, must work closely with the All India Football Federation and organise the tournament better.
"Look at the FA Cup of England [the oldest football tournament]. Where it started and where it has reached," Bhutia said, comparing the oldest and second oldest tournaments in the world.
"It is high time that people did some thing to change," he said.
