Holders Abahani Limited are eying to retain their Super Cup title to earn some late consolation in an otherwise disappointing season as they have yet to win any trophy.
The third edition of the cash-rich Super Cup will get under way on Friday with Abahani Limited starting their campaign against Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra on the opening day.
Abahani were eliminated from the quarter-final of the Independence Cup and the Federation Cup and surrendered their Bangladesh Premier League title to Sheikh Russell KC as they finished third.
They also failed to progress to the final round of the AFC President Cup.
`I never ended a season trophyless in my 10-year career with Abahani,’ lamented Abahani captain Waly Faisal. ‘Now all our concentration is on Super Cup. It will be a big consolation if we can win the tournament.’
Club manager Satyajit Das Rupu held their players’ injury problems responsible for Abahani’s previous failures.
`We didn’t have good time this season due to some injury problems and our forward line failed to convert many golden chances into a goal,’ he said.
‘When we accepted the fact that we ended the season empty-handed, the Super Cup comes in. Now we have the opportunity to gain something in this season,’ Rupu said.
Assistant coach Amalesh Sen, who will be in charge of the team after the club parted ways with Iranian coach Ardeshir Paurnemat, is confident of success after a 20-day of training.
‘We have been working for the last one week on our formation as there are no foreign players in the tournament. But I am very much confident that we will retain the title,’ he said.
Meanwhile Muktijoddha said they will be happy to make it to the semi-finals like they did in the two other tournaments of the season.
Shafiqul Islam Manik, the coach wished to take confidence from their Federation Cup and Independence Cup performance where they played in the semi-final against the odds.
`Super Cup is a blessing for players and clubs as they get financially benefited,’ said Manik.
‘My team is not in a good position in pen and papers. As there is no foreign player allowed in the Super Cup, teams with most number of national players will be considered as the favorites.
‘However football is a game of how a team performs in particular day so anything can happen,’ he said.
-With New Age input
