National team head coach Lodewijk de Kruif on Friday cut his preliminary squad to 30 from 36 ahead of Bangladesh’s Asian Cup Play-off qualifiers against Tajikistan on June 2 and 7.
Left-back Atiqur Rahman Meshu left the camp few days ago with an Achilles injury in his right foot while Rahmatganj Muslim Friends Society forward Nurul Abser ruled out with a knee injury.
Other four players — Mannaf Rabby, Saikat Rahman, Kowshik Barua and Khalequzzaman Sabuz — failed to impress the Dutchman in the camp.
Kruif, meanwhile, called German-based expatriate Bangladeshi Joseph Noor Rahman to the camp. But the midfielder, who joined Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club this season, apparently failed to impress the coach.
‘Kruif watched him [Noor] in two practice sessions before showing him the door,’ said manager Sattyajit Das Rupu.
‘Kruif said that Noor needs more time to get ready for the national team.’
The national team is likely to fly for Dushanbe on May 29 to play the away match on June 2.
Rupu said that the Bangladesh Football Federation is trying to arrange a warm-up match in Dubai on their way to Tajikistan.
‘Kruif wants to play a warm-up match against a tough opponent like UAE before facing Tajikistan,’ he said.
‘As we have a transit in Dubai, BFF is trying to arrange a warm-up match there.’
-With New Age input
