Popular giants Mohammedan Sporting Club set to disappoint their fans again as the inter-club players’ transfer window for the impending 2014-15 football season opens today.
Mohammedan never tasted the title of the Bangladesh Premier League and it seems the drought is unlikely to be end in this season too. The traditional Black and White outfit failed to keep most of the players from the last season including national stalwarts Zahid Hasan Ameli, Zahid Hossain, Hemantha Vincent, Wahed Ahmed, Yusuf Sifat, Ariful Islam and Topu Barman.
Most of the players said that they are leaving the club due its poor financial strength.
The officials of the club however said that they are not concerned by the exodus as the club’s first priority is now to develop the club’s financial structure.
‘Our main concentration will be to develop the club’s financial structure. It is a shame that we have to run a club of this stature by taking loans from others,’ said Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan, director-in-charge of the club.
‘Until we can generate our own income, it is getting really difficult to run the club,’ said Lokman, who promised to make a team that will not be as bad as it is being said.
‘I can assure you that Mohammedan will not form a bad squad. We will try to form a balanced team with a blend of local and foreign players.’
While Mohammedan are struggling to make a strong squad, reigning champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and Sheikh Russell Krira Chakra took an all out effort to build a winning outfit.
Another powerhouse Abahani Limited are set to be satisfied with a mediocre team.
Jamal all but retained their old players like — Mamunul Islam, Sohel Rana, Nasir Chowdhury, Yasin Khan and Yamin Ahmed. To bolster the squad they have also signed Denmark based national team midfielder Jamal Bhuiyan.
Russell, the 2013 treble winners, are signing Ameli, Zahid, Hemantha, Tapu, Eusuf and Nahid from Mohammedan.
They also picked up national team goalkeeper Russell Mahmud Liton from Muktijoddha Sangshad Krira Chakra.
National team left-back Atiqur Rahman Meshu is also set to join Russell along with his Abahani team-mate Wali Faisal.
Abahani, the runners-up in the last season, are re-organising their forward line with two national forwards — Wahed Ahmed and Aminur Rahman Sazib.
The Sky-Blue outfit’s main concern will now be on recruiting some quality foreign players.
A club will be allowed to register 35 players, two more than the previous season. They include five foreign players from which a club will be able to field maximum three players at a time.
The window will be closed for the local players on December 11 and for the foreign players on January 31.
-With New Age input
