Nayeem backtracks

A day after accusing just-retired Bhaichung Bhutia of match-rigging in 2006, former coach Syed Nayeemuddin Thursday made a U-turn and said that he had committed a mistake by making the allegations on the footballer.

A day after accusing just-retired Bhaichung Bhutia of match-rigging in 2006, former coach Syed Nayeemuddin Thursday made a U-turn and said that he had committed a mistake by making the allegations on the footballer.

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"It was a misunderstanding between me and Bhaichung and I had no personal enmity with him. I had committed a mistake. I am willing to speak to Bhaichung and may be say sorry to him," Nayeemuddin said.

The Dronacharya awardee said that he had wrongly thought that Bhaichung led a plot with other players to rig the match. "It was a mistake on my part to have thought that Bhaichung had a meeting with other players to do something against me during Asian Cup qualifiers."

Bhaichung, on his part, played down the controversy, saying he wouls consider it a closed chapter.