Without holding discussions with us, the AIFF sent them. Do they think that we are beggars?'

Asked about their next course of action, Balaram said as a first step they wanted the media to highlight the humiliation meted out to them. 'We will see how the AIFF reacts. And then, if needed, we will approach the union sports ministry.'

An emotional Balaram said the Melbourne show had made India a name to reckon with in international soccer. 'We were rated as one of the top teams of the world. Then FIFA president Stanly Ross came to our dressing room after the match and congratulated us.'

'He was surprised that a team which played barefoot four years back could play so well with the boots on. He inspected the boots of some of us.'

Balaram said the slide in the Indian soccer standards now pained him a lot.

'This is the reason I don't talk to anyone on Indian football. We did so well in Melbourne. We became the number one Asian team at Jakarta in 1962. But where are we now? Whenever I think of this, I have tears in my eyes.'

Asked why the current crop of players was not being able to deliver despite getting a substantial amount of money, he shot back: 'Don't blame the players. It's the clubs which are responsible.'

Another member of the side, Nikhil Nandy, was also present at the media meet.