Chaubey, a goalkeeper at the 1990s Tata Football Academy stable, always spoke of “relevance” outside the football field. Despite an impressive series of “clubs played”, Chaubey, in private, would have shown that restlessness that he evidently he could not suppress standing between the posts.
“As a player in India, you have to quickly start thinking beyond football,” he said, when Indian sport entered the 2000s on television.
When he eventually found himself relegated to the bench as first goalkeeper as his 15-year professional career progressed, Chaubey looked further. Clearly, the idea of coaching was not what satiated him. He also considered modeling and acting on Bangla soap operas once. He had the presence of mind to protect his face when he was beaten up by a rogue club owner in Goa when the player rightly dared to ask for the debts he owed, because “even if your career has gone nowhere. , at least the face remained intact, I would need it later.
The television commentary in the vernacular would show life on the sidelines as a tailored suit, less sweaty, with the microphone in hand, which replaces the goalkeeper’s shirt. In 2014, he would find his true calling when the BJP came headhunting on their mission to Bengal.
Today (Thursday), on the eve of the AIFF elections, as a favorite, Chaubey’s relevancy research is closing the circle. But how much of this aspiration is fulfilled by forces outside his domain?
The member states that had rallied to help oust Praful Patel and forced the call for new elections, abandoned their own ambition for a post to en masse support Chaubey’s last-minute candidacy.
“We support the government in power, it shouldn’t necessarily be seen as support for the party in power,” said one member, about how supporting the ‘government’ candidate has its advantages, funds for cash-strapped state associations, but he was also giving implied instructions that may have come to do so.
Chaubey’s opponent then, a maidan rival, former captain of India, the first Indian to play 100 international games, should be hailed for bravery to stand up to the might of Chaubey’s supporters. But if only that were the case. It is usually automatically assumed that Bhutia should be a shoo-in for the job, even if you think he is already the best administrator: “But does Kalyan have any experience?”
During his legendary career, Bhutia may never have seemed to have any of those spells of uncertainty that beset Chaubey, even perhaps during his largely insignificant and lonely stay at Bury FC. Yet, as it stands today, it is Bhutia that is desperately seeking any kind of relevance in this battle for administrative supremacy.
When the Chaubey bandwagon gained maximum access, Bhutia found itself stranded. He found last-minute supporters in the very forces that member states had tried to oust. Undaunted, Bhutia presented a brave and cheerful front, tirelessly launching itself at those who would privately admit to keeping it at a safe distance.
Even if it seemed pointless, the effort and the hype were admirable. However, one had to ask, beset as he was by excited Air Force personnel at Thursday’s Subroto Cup announcement: “So what happens the day after tomorrow, Bhaichung?”
“What happens?” she laughed. “If it happens, it happens, if it doesn’t, I will always love Indian football.”
