The Bangladesh Football Federation is likely to shake-up its coaching ranks when coaches’ contracts expire on December 31, highlighted by the addition of coaches’ instructor Saiful Bari Titu. The proposed coaching shuffle comes after BFF president Kazi Salahuddin instructed the BFF development committee to re-evaluate the coaches. Salahuddin had asked the development committee to bring Titu and Maruful Haque into the BFF fold, but the latter declined because of his position with Sheikh Russell KC.
‘The BFF president asked us to accommodate two high profile coaches to the BFF coaching staffs so that the Dutch coaches may also be benefited with the inclusion of two local coaches,’ said BFF development committee chairman Badal Roy.
Roy said that only Titu had agreed to join the BFF.
Salahuddin had been critical of local coaches after the national team’s poor showing at the South Asian Football Federation Championship in September.
There had also been allegations that some coaches remained idle throughout the duration of their contracts, while others owed their contracts to their relationships with BFF officials. It was also alleged that some coaches were swayed with gifts during the team selection process.
The BFF employs 19 coaches licensed by the Asian Football Confederation – including three with category ‘A’ certification and 14 in category ‘B’ – who are retained on yearly contracts
and evaluated at the end of each contract.
The BFF receives a $5000 monthly grant from the AFC for coaches, and a large offer to Titu may affect how many other local coaches the body can retain within its budget.
BFF technical director BA Jubair Nipu said that national team coaches Lodewijk de Kruif and Rene Koster might conduct a refresher course with the BFF’s current staff to evaluate them before new contracts are finalised.
-With New Age input
