Dutch coach Lodewijk de Kruif and his assistant Rene Koster will take charge of the Bangladesh national football team on May 15, one-and-a-half months ahead of original schedule, the
Bangladesh Football Federation announced on Wednesday.
The date was brought forward as Bangladesh are scheduled to play two FIFA International friendly matches against India and Pakistan on June 1 and 7 in the United Kingdom.
BFF president Kazi Salahuddin on Wednesday held a meeting with the Dutch duo, who are currently in the city with their spouses to assess the local accommodation and schooling facilities.
`The Dutch coaches agreed to join their jobs on May 15 to prepare the team ahead of two FIFA friendlies against India and Pakistan in June in England,’ Sahahuddin told reporters after the meeting.
An Indian-based sports management company, Celebrity Management Group, which had also organised the FIFA friendly between Argentina and Nigeria earlier in Dhaka, is going to arrange the matches of Bangladesh against India and Pakistan in England.
After the games in England, the Dutch coaches will return to the Netherlands and they will take the full responsibility of the national team for two years from July 1.
Kazi Nabil Ahmed, BFF vice-president and chairman of the national team committee, informed that for the additional duties the Dutch coaches will be paid extra one month’s salary.
The BFF will sign a short-term contract with the Dutch duo just like they had signed with them during the AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers.
-With New Age input
