The uncertainty over three Mohammedan Sporting Club players playing for Sheikh Russell Krira Chkara in the upcoming AFC President’s Cup final round were all but resolved when the Bangladesh Football Federation permitted the trio to play for Russell.
Earlier, Mohammedan sent a letter to the BFF asking it not to allow their five players to play for Sheikh Russell in the AFC President’s Cup final round starting in Sri Lanka from September 20.
Mohammedan also served a show-cause notice on their five players – Zahid Hossain, Zahid Hasan Ameli, Mamun Khan, Nahidul Islam and Emon Mahmud Babu – for joining Russell’s preparation camp without taking any written permission from the club.
But later, one of the five players, Zahid, was sent to Incheon, South Korea, to join the Under-23 national football team as a replacement for injured defender Atiqur Rahman Meshu.
On the other hand, Emon Mahmud Babu was not registered for the AFC President’s Cup by Sheikh Russell, which means the club will now have to wait for the release letters of Ameli, Mamun and Nahid from Mohammedan Sporting Club. This is for the first time any Bangladeshi football club are going participate in the final round of AFC Presidents Cup.
So, the BFF considered not only Sheikh Russell’s request but also the nation’s pride for releasing the Mohammedan players to play for Russell in the AFC President’s Cup.
They also took the matter into consideration that the five Mohammedan footballers were verbally registered by Russell to take part in the competition during the player transfers window.
And since all the Premier league clubs wanted to help Russell by loaning their players for the Cup, it was not any problem for the federation to take a positive decision.
Abahani Limited have already released two of their players – Wali Faisal and Wahid – to play for Russell in the President’s Cup.
‘We considered three reasons to give them permission to the play in the AFC President’s Cup,’ said BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Sohag on Tuesday.
‘Firstly, the players’ transfer window was closed on August 20, so they [Sheikh Russell] had no scope to take new players.
‘Secondly, all the Premier League clubs gave their consent couple of times during the Professional Football League Committee meeting after a request by its chairman Abdus Salam Murshedi.
‘And most importantly, this is the first time any Bangladeshi team is going to take part in the final round of the AFC President’s Cup, so it’s not only Russell’s interest but also it’s a matter of the nation’s pride,’ Sohag added.
-With New Age input
