Manik appointed football coach of MSC for next two years

Shafiqul Islam Manik returned to his old hunting ground after a gap of three years as the AFC-A license coach was appointed yesterday as the head coach of Mohammedan Sporting Club for the next two years.
Manik, who was nominated by the football committee on Thursday, was finally approved by the ad-hoc committee convener Kutubuddin Ahmed.
“We appointed one of the best coaches in the country and I believe Mohammedan’s success in the coming season will come through him,” said Kutubuddin yesterday at the club premises in Motijheel.
There was a whisper that Manik or Shahidur Rahman Shantoo was going to take charge of the Black and Whites although member secretary Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan, who was not present yesterday, had pointedly given his blessings to the latter.
The appointment of Manik, however, has become possible because of a new look ad-hoc committee that first also brought changes in the football committee with the inclusion of its former booters Sabbir, Johnny and Ilias.
“Mohammedan has been going through a transition period and we just followed the recommendation of the football committee,” Kutubuddin said. “We will lay the emphasis on the young players and try to rope in quality foreign players as well as a foreign trainer.”
Manik first acted as an assistant coach of Mohammedan in 1996 before taking charge in the last quarter of 2005 to help the Black and Whites clinch the title of the National Football Championship.
The former Mohammedan player guided the popular Black and White outfit to finish behind champions Abahani in the first professional football league.
Manik was also hugely successful with Muktijoddha Sangsad as he guided them to a Premier League, two Federation Cup wins, a national football league, an Independent cup and a McDowell Cup victory in India.
“We have lost almost 95 percent players from the last season and this time we confirmed so far 14 players, who are less known to us as well as you. But, it is a game of 90 minutes and no one can predict the result when those players wearing the jersey of Mohammedan take on the opponents,” said Manik, who believed their strength would be increased once five foreign players from Iran, Kenya, Rwanda or Russia join the Black and Whites.
Mohammedan retained the services of defender Hasan Al Mamun and Enamul Haq Sharif and confirmed players like goalkeepers Titumir, Sultan, defenders Arafat Rony, Saidul Haq, Ripon Khan, Rasel Ansari, midfielders Rajan Ali, Sagor, Rony Islam, and strikers Sariful Islam and Anwar Hossain.
Asked if winning the league was a realistic target with such a depleted squad, Manik said, “There is not much difference among the local players and I think the foreign collection will make the difference.”
Asked whether there would be a communication gap between the high officials and the team management this time as well, Salam Murshedy said, “We will try to keep our words of what we would make and we will also try our best not to repeat the issues that we saw in the last season.”

Courtesy of The Daily Star