Three African footballers eligible to represent Bangladesh national football team have accepted the offer of Bangladesh Football Federation to apply for the national citizenship. Guinean forward Ismail Bangoura, Ghanaian defender Samad Yussif and Nigerian forward Kingsley Chigozie had discussed the matter with the BFF officials in a meeting on Wednesday.‘We spoke to three players about their citizenship,’ BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag told reporters after the meeting.
‘Everything was positive and they agreed in principle to accept the citizenship and play for Bangladesh. They don’t have much demand. Rather they took the proposal positively to help the national side to move ahead.’
BFF informed the players about the facilities usually given to the Bangladesh national team players when they are on national duty.
‘We made our position clear to them about how we operate the national team and what facilities the players are entitled.
‘We provide the players a salary before the national team assignment. It varies from time to time. Sometime it can be Tk 10,000 and in some other time it is Tk 15,000.’
The African trio said they are also eager to represent Bangladesh and enrich their personal profile thereby.
‘I think Bangladesh is my second home because I have been living here for seven years,’ Abahani defender Yussif said.
‘This will benefit all of us. I’m ready to play. If you are a professional player it’s not about only money or others, you always give your best.’
Guinean striker of Mohammedan Sporting Club Ismail Bangoura believes the initiatives by BFF will help him make his profile more decorated.
‘Today’s meeting is good both for us because we see the same way. It will be good for our CV and for our career also,’ said the Guinean.
BFF said they were now completing all the formalities to submit their applications to the home ministry for citizenship as the trio signed the application forms after the meeting.
According to a FIFA rule, a foreign player must play a minimum of five years on a particular country to represent it at international level.
Abahani’s Ghanaian defender Samad Yussif is the only player who is eligible at the moment, according to the rule.
Mohammedan’s Guinean striker Bangoura and Sheikh Russell’s Nigerian striker Kingsley will have to wait till September to be eligible for the national team.
-With New Age input
