AIFF mistake, Robin Singh to miss Myanmar game

East Bengal Club striker Robin Singh will not be seen in action for the Indian Under-23 national team against Myanmar in Pune tonight. It isn't due to an injury or East Bengal not releasing him, it is simply due to the fact that his registration with the AFC for the Asian qualifiers for the 2012 London Olympics was send too late.

But the AFC is said to have been leniant that they have allowed the AIFF to register him for the return-leg, but if Robin will be around will have to be seen as East Bengal have stated that will release Robin and Nirmal Chetri only for the home-leg as they do not have any I-League fixtures.

This news comes for coach Desmond Bulpin on top of injury worries over number one goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya, who might have to miss tonight's match. Otherwise the team is raring to go and get a good result to take to Myanmar.

But the question remains why such mistakes seem to be happening quite often with the AIFF off lately. In a goof-up of a different kind India had gone into the 2011 AFC Asian Cup with Sushil Kumar Singh suspended for the first couple of matches for picking-up a red card in the 2010 AFC Challenge Cup. As Mohammed Rafi had been kept as a back-up for Baichung Bhutia, he took Sushil's place otherwise we would have gone into the tournament with only two strikers in Sunil Chhetri and Abhishek Yadav.