‘Won’t quit till they apologize’

Ironically,Coutinho,who is a manager with Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF) while also having played,coached and written on cricket,had submitted his resignation letter seven months ago citing personal reasons.

“We should always have a president who can devote all his time in the development of football. Somehow I was struggling to give it all my time. There were issues like my mother’s health and there were increasing work pressures,which meant it was getting difficult for me and hence I decided to put in my resignation,” he explained.

Strangely,adds Coutinho,the same conspirators who would align against him had requested the president to not step down and continue with his good work. “I was not in favour of becoming president even when we finally managed to overhaul Kehar Singh from the MDFA. But I was pushed into taking it up. And these members who are now calling for my head are the same ones who were requesting me to stay back seven months ago,” he added.

Coutinho further insisted that the betterment of football still continued to remain his only focus,and that he had asked his detractors to find a suitable replacement if they wanted him out.

“I am not looking for a fight. If they have someone better then please make him president. I am not interested in a formal post. In the one-and-a-half years I have been here,a lot of positives have come about. The first thing I did as president was decentralize the power. I gave everyone in the executive council separate powers and got in independent committees for finance,marketing and scheduling among others so that everyone had a responsibility,” said Coutinho.

“And if they’re saying most of the changes didn’t quite work out the way they were planned,then it is they who are to blame and not me,” he added.

For now,Coutinho remains unperturbed,and is looking forward to host the Nadkarni Cup,the annual opener for all senior teams in the city,at his RCF ground in September.