Veteran coach Shafiqul Islam Manik will take charge of premier league outfit Chittagong Abahani for the upcoming season, having spent this season away from coaching. The former Mohammedan SC and Muktijoddha Sangsad coach, who stepped down from the job of the All Reds at the end of last season, confirmed the news to reporters on Sunday. “People have been a bit surprised that I am taking charge of a club which is not among the top, having previously coached clubs like Mohammedan and Muktijoddha. But I have had detailed conversation with the club’s chairman, Ruhul Amin, over the last two weeks and I have been impressed by his football ambitions and his plans of taking the side to a higher level,” said the veteran coach.
“I have been asked to form a strong squad and hopefully we will recruit good players in the preseason transfer window and the youth program for the upcoming season,” Manik hoped.
Chittagong Abahani are currently in 10th position in the 11-team Bangladesh Premier League, only above already-scrapped Farashganj SC. Ahsanuzzaman Jhantu is currently the coach of the port city side.
-With The Daily Star input
