Houghton advises Chhetri to play in continental Europe

India coach Bob Houghton has advised striker Sunil Chhetri to first play in continental Europe and then think of plying his trade in England.

Chhetri signed a three-year contract with English Championship side Queens Park Rangers but will not be able to play for the club as he was denied work permit by the British government.

"England is a great place to play football but for that you need your country to be among top 70 in the FIFA chart and you should have played 75 per cent of your national team matches in the last 24 months. Sunil satisfied the latter criterion but not the first," Houghton said.

"Sunil appealed and a committee comprising three players and three bureaucrats ruled against him," he added.

Houghton said since India is low in FIFA's rankings, Chhetri can now think of playing in other European countries like Italy and Spain.

"Manchester United had a sister club in Belgium (Royal Antwerp) and Chhetri can think of playing in clubs like that. I remember Chinese players play in European countries other than England first for two years and then apply for the English professional league. Sunil can do that and that is the option," said the Englishman at the launch of the Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy for the National Sub-Junior championships.