Ace footballer Baichung Bhutia has suggested expanding the National Football League to make it more competitive.

Affirming that the present format is "very competitive" and "very good" from the players' perspective, he said the number of teams and matches in the NFL need to be increased.

Bhutia said the All India Football Federation has to do more than what it is doing at the moment.

"They are doing their role but they need to do more. The system has to be reviewed.

"The standard of football in India is improving. From here it can only improve, but the sport is not getting the popularity and publicity it deserves," the East Bengal striker said.

"Proper planning, a system and infrastructure are lacking. Infrastructure facilities have to be improved," he added.

Bhutia said he expects to be 100 per cent fit by the time the NFL starts in January and "at the moment" has no plans to leave East Bengal and join some other club.

He said he had a few offers from foreign clubs, from Malaysia and Singapore, for the coming season but none were attractive.

The Sikkim player, who has played for second division English club Bury FC and Malaysia's Perak, said he would sign a contract only "if it's something worth".

"I am happy with East Bengal."

Bhutia said he is not perturbed about cricketers getting more attention, recognition and encouragement.

"You have got to accept what it is. You have to get along. As a footballer, I know exactly we don't get it. But that does not mean that I make the change to cricket. For me, you love the game (football). Whether I get attention or not, I am going to play football and carry on."

The disappointment of not winning the Federation Cup despite taking part in it in the last seven-eight years rankles him.

"I will keep trying... maybe next year," he said, a day after East Bengal crashed out of the tournament, losing 0-1 to Sporting Club de Goa in the quarter-finals on Tuesday night.

"We did not control the match. We did not keep the ball," he admitted. "The entire team did not play well. It's not correct to blame an individual," he said.