Seven national players, who missed recent Independence Cup due to a pay dispute that dragged them to the court, have apparently put in an extra effort in national team camp in order to regain their fitness ahead of the forthcoming Asian Cup play-offs. Mamunul Islam, Sohel Rana, Nasiruddin Chowdhury, Yeamin Ahmed Chowdhury, Alamgir Kabir Rana, Rayhan Hasan and Shahidul Alam Sohel missed the Independence Cup tournament alongside Jamal Bhuiyan due to their pay dispute.
They were all included in the national team in the preliminary squad for the Asian Cup play-offs against Tajikistan, scheduled on June 2 and 7.
Barring Jamal, who is currently holidaying in Denmark, all seven players have already joined the camp and started working on their fitness.
‘As they were out of competitive actions for last three months, they have gained a bit of weight and they now need to improve their match-fitness level which is a concern for us,’ said national team assistant coach Saiful Bari Titu,
Titu is supervising the training camp in the absence of head coach Lodewijk de Kruif, who is expected to take the charge today.
‘That’s why they have been doing extra-training to get their fitness back before the play-offs.
‘The players are fit but they are lacked of the match-fitness. The players have already had two strengthening sessions at the gym and will have another session to increase their endurance.’
Mamunul hoped he will get full fitness before the matches.
‘I need to have more individual training to take my fitness level with the other players,’ said Mamunul.
‘I need to improve running and chasing. I believe I will achieve it because I have been doing individual training in addition to my regular training. ‘
Defender Atiqur Rahman Meshu left the training camp with an Achilles tendon injury while midfielders Monamem Khan Raju and Rubel Mia have been suffering from hamstring injuries.
-With New Age input
