Bangladesh national football team’s Dutch coach Lodewijk de Kruif has promised to bring back his side to the wining ways after some dreadful performances in recent months.
Kruif resumed his duty as national coach of Bangladesh on Tuesday for a short tenure of one month ahead of their Asian Cup Play-off qualifiers against Tajikistan on June 2 and 7.The Bangladesh Football Federation brought back Kruif with a hope that he will guide the team to Asian Cup qualifiers, which is vital for Bangladesh to keep them in the reckoning of regional football.
Kruif was in charge of the team partly during their disastrous campaign of World Cup qualifiers when Bangladesh conceded 32 goals in eight matches to finish at bottom in their respective group.
Bangladesh parted way with the 46-year old Dutchman on September 8 after a 0-4 defeat against Jordan in Dhaka.
‘I think football in Bangladesh was in heavy water last year,’ said Kruif, who was succeeded by at least three coaches in six months. ‘When you see the result there is no reason you can be proud of the national team.
‘I want the team to return to winning ways’, said Kruif.
Kruif will get only two weeks to prepare the team for the play-offs, but the Dutchman insisted it may be enough.
‘I know the circumstances,’ he said. ‘I know how to build up the players in short time. ‘I think this is the important reason for me coming back,’ said Kruif, who guided a semi-professional club D Dunu in Netherlands in the last eight months.
‘There is a big task because everybody is unsatisfied. Football went down a bit here. We have to bring some glory back. We have to bring the form back and make the people happy.’
Kruif also believed that his charges have potential to beat Tajikistan on home soil.
‘Here in the home game against Tajikistan it was 1-1 and I think we deserved to win the game.
‘Everything was in our hands. We created a lot of chances,’ said Kruif, referring to Bangladesh’s match against Tajiks in Dhaka.
‘I was not there during the away match. They [Bangladesh] got beaten 5-0. I will prepare my team tactically and physically, very well. We can do something at the home game and See, if we can beat them.’
-With New Age input
