Alvaro slates BFF

Abahani’s Argentine trainer Diego Alvaro slammed the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) for delay in finalising the schedules of the season’s curtain-raising tournament, the Federation Cup, as the Dhanmondi-based outfit began their second phase of training yesterday at the Dhaka University ground following a half-a-month conditioning camp at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan.
“With less than one week to go before the start the tournament, we still don’t know who our opponents are and it is crazy. Football is not a game of only running behind the ball as it is a game of mind too and the players need to prepare themselves mentally according to their opponents,” said Alvaro, who joined Abahani in the later part of July.
The BFF is scheduled to do the groupings today and the tournament will get underway on September 10 at two venues in the capital.
Two-time B. League champions Abahani are the first side to appoint a foreign trainer and the 37-year-old trainer was pleased to have seen the facilities at the BKSP in Savar, but equally expressed his dissatisfaction over Abahani’s Dhanmondi ground, which is still unprepared following the earth filling as well as the planting of new grass and it needs a couple of days more to be ready for training.
“I have just followed the training routines what your national team did and I am satisfied with the level of fitness the players gained during the short period of conditioning camp,” said Alvaro, who was however was not satisfied with the players’ food habit.
The Argentine believes it is the responsibility of the players, who are professionals, and not me what to do to maintain their fitness level throughout the season.
Alvaro said that he would now be working on the match situations during the second phase of training.
Head coach Amolesh Sen also expressed his pleasure over Alvaro’s input and said that he now could focus only on the game plan as the trainer was looking after the fitness level of the players.
The long-serving Abahani coach believed the players could have got much better if they had another week or so for the conditioning camp.
“However, the physical condition of the players is better compared to the last season and I think It will be the key factor in the coming season,” said Amolesh, who guided Abahani to two successive B. League titles.
Amolesh, however, was a bit worried as he was getting little time to work with the players with the ball.
Meanwhile, Ghanaian striker Awudu Ibrahim, who arrived here on Saturday, joined the camp and Abul Hossain, who left the conditioning camp following his fever, also joined the camp.

Courtesy of The Daily Star