Axed football coach Syed Nayeemuddin on Monday made a sensational charge that captain Baichung Bhutia acted against the interests of the Indian team during the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers and demanded an enquiry into the squad's poor show in the tourney by the AIFF.
Continuing to sulk about his unceremonious dumping earlier this year, following India's debacle against Japan and the lower ranked Yemen in the Asian Cup, Nayeemuddin alleged that the captain and the rest of team did not give "their 100 per cent in the two matches".
He also lamented that the AIFF did not provide the team exposure trips and proper practice facilities.
"While the camp was on before the Yemen match, the captain used to hold 'classes' for the players after the practice sessions. I didn't know about it then. I learnt about it after the match, and was also informed that even the goalkeeper coach [Atanu Bhattacharya] was not allowed to be present at the meetings," he said.
"From the result of the match, which we lost 0-3, it seems to me that what transpired at the meetings went against the team's interests. I had then lodged a complaint with the team manager, but he didn't do anything," Nayeemuddin claimed.
He also said that Bhutia did not practice regularly and the results showed that some of the players did not give "100 per cent for the team".
"I think the AIFF should hold some serious enquiry to unearth the reasons for the team's failures," he said.
Bhutia, now away in Sikkim, could not be contacted.
Training his guns on the AIFF, Nayeemuddin said despite repeated requests it did not arrange for "exposure trips" against teams of the calibre of South Korea and China.
"I wanted to play some matches against these teams and though AIFF President Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi was willing, the Federation later turned down my proposal citing exorbitant costs," he said.
Nayeem said he also did not get the full team, as seven of the players were injured.
Nayeem said he was not even given a year at the helm, and till date does not know what his faults are.
Asked about the appointment of Englishman Bob Houghton as his successor, Nayeem said: "it's good that such a man has been appointed. But had the Indian coaches been given the same sort of remuneration, facilities and long term contracts, we would also have produced results."
Nayeem had been appointed coach in October last year and under him the Indians team lifted the SAFF Cup in Pakistan before the debacle in the Asian Cup saw his exit.
