RAIPUR: The Indian women’s football team had a real chance to make it to the World Cup. All it needed was to progress beyond the group stage of the Asian Cup held in Australia earlier this month.
Sadly, it lost all its group-stage games and were knocked out after conceding 17 goals in three matches.It was a bitter pill to swallow, but former India women’s player Lako Phuti Bhutia believes the players should use the experience to do better in the coming days. “It was a good chance to qualify for the World Cup, but the players shouldn’t lose hope. They should practise harder, and the team will certainly make it to the big stage one day,” said Bhutia, who is here to compete for Sikkim at the inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games (KITG).
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She also wants them to take motivation from the recognition that the game receives these days, something that she could only dream of when she was playing for the national team.“Earlier, women’s teams didn’t get much importance, be it India or at the state level. Things, however, have changed for the better and the players are getting lots of focus and practice facilities, so I have the belief that we will qualify for the World Cup one day,” said the former centre-back who played a pivotal role in helping India win SAFF Women’s Championship in 2014.
Bhutia was also there when India won the tournament in 2019, but her international career was cut short soon following an injury to her right knee the same year. It wasn’t easy for her to give it up, but she is more than happy coaching the next generation of players nowadays.
Lako Phuti Bhutia
“I am training nearly 70 students at the State Sports Academy for Girls in Soreng, West Sikkim, and look after them, too,” said Bhutia, who began her football journey at Mangalbaria Girls Football Academy under Palden Bhutia after being motivated by her sister Nima Lhamu Bhutia – also a former India player.Despite being focused on creating the future now, she couldn’t help looking back at the past and said it was a huge honour to play with the likes of Bembem Devi, Bala Devi and Ashalata Devi.It’s the same way the current Sikkim players also feel about playing with her nowadays.“It’s a huge honour to play with Lako Phuti. She has lots of experience and knows how to guide us. She is also a huge motivation for us,” said Gyurme Dolma Tamang, who played for various teams in the Indian Women’s League (IWL).Besides being one of the first few players from the state to represent India, Bhutia was also among the early Indian women footballers to play abroad, signing for Maldivian top-division side New Radiant Sports Club in 2014.But with her playing days almost behind her, Bhutia will now hope to see many more from Sikkim follow the path she once carved.
