National team to start training from first week of August
The Bangladesh Football Federation on Thursday postponed the cash-rich Super Cup until the 17th Asian Games, which is scheduled to be held in Incheon, South Korea, from September 19 to October 4. An emergency meeting of the executive committee also decided to start the national team camp under the supervision of Dutch coach Lodewijk De Kruif from the first week of August at the end of league.
The decision to delay the Super Cup until October put the tournament in danger of a possible schedule clash as the BFF is also planning an international tournament, the Bangabandhu Cup, at the same period.
The BFF officials, however, were confident that they would be able to organise both the tournaments back to back.
‘We will persist with our plan and definitely will hold the Super Cup,’ said BFF’s senior vice-president Abdus Salam Murshedi on Thursday.
‘But at the same time we have to think about our national team as well as the Bangabandhu Gold Cup (International tournament). We are working with the future schedule and hopefully we will give you the concrete decision very soon.’
The BFF organsied the Super Cup last year without any foreign players, allowing the clubs to give their local footballers a chance.
A similar plan was in place for the season only for the clubs to remain sceptic about the fate of the tournament.
‘All the professional clubs formed their teams keeping in mind that they will have to participate in four tournaments along with premier league at the of the season,’ Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra coach Shafiqul Islam Manik said.
‘The uncertainty over the Super Cup definitely disappointed us as well as the local players who are waiting to prove themselves by getting more playing opportunity.’
Toklis Ahmed, one of the national team strikers, who spent most of the time on the bench, was also disappointed with the decision.
‘I thought I would prove myself by playing in the Super Cup but now I don’t know when the tournament will be held,’ said Toklis.
Not only the Super Cup, the BFF’s plan about the Bangabandhu Gold Cup also appeared haphazard as they are yet to finalise the participant nations.
BFF president Kazi Salahuddin, however, was hopeful they can arrange all the events in the current season.
‘Maybe we have to change the schedules but we will definitely organise all the tournaments along with Bangabandhu Gold Cup and we will give the final date of starting the Super Cup and the international tournament in the next month,’ Salahuddin told reporters.
-With New Age input
