Officials at Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra were confident that they would have a successful season as they completed their player transfer formalities on Wednesday.
Muktijoddha, who finished sixth in last season’s Bangladesh Premier League, registered 26 players and three foreigners for the forthcoming season just days before the deadline.
Muktijoddha officials said that four or five more foreign players would join before the close of the player transfer window.
Muktijoddha coach Shafiqul Islam Manik said that they are waiting for two Egyptian and two Nigerian players, and he also said that one member of the Haitian national team might arrive in time if he manages to procure a plane ticket. The Haitian is currently in New York and just got his Bangladeshi visa on Wednesday.
Muktijoddha have built their team with a mix of youth and experience, bringing back veteran star goalkeeper Aminul Haque.
A group of former national players – Enamul Haque, Ibnul Siraji, Maruf Ahmed, Zahed Pervez, Imtiaz Sultan Zitu – also signed for Muktijoddha.
The club also brought in Nigerian striker – and older brother of current Muktijoddha player Eleta Benjamin – Eleta Kingsley from Team BJMC.
The other Nigerian on the team is the newly-recruited Agbulu Inaligview.
Muktijoddha did say goodbye to a group of experienced players in Rokonuzzaman Kanchan, Azmal Hossain Biddyut and Faisal Mahmud.
As their replacements, Muktijoddha signed three young faces: Mohammed Biplob and Mohammed Ibrahim from Under-19 national team, and Sohag Hossain Palash.
‘When we started building our team, it was not possible for us to form a champions team as top clubs like Sheikh Jamal, Sheikh Russell, Abahani and Mohammedan had signed all the top players,’ said Manik during a press conference at the Bangladesh Football Federation House on Wednesday.
‘We don’t have national players but we built a fighting team. Last time we reached the semi-finals in three professional tournaments. I hope we will start fresh this season,’ he added.
‘This team is more balanced than last season. We have a team mixture with experience and young players. We also have middle-aged players like Shamol, Mamun, Jitu and Ibrahim in our team who are ready to prove themselves and get a chance in the national team in the future.
‘We are the fifth-best team on pen and paper. The league is like marathon and I hope we will survive in the long race. Our target is to finish top three in the league. I believe the team we formed can fight for the championship.’
Aminul is also confident that he will produce something special at the end of his career.
‘Muktijoddha is a big name. I played for this club for 8-9 years. Before rejoining the club I talked to Manik bhai and Nazrul Bhai, who gave me hope about the club. My target is to give something to this club,’ said the former national team captain.
Squad: Aminul Haque, Shafiqul Islam Bipul, Naimur Rahman Shahed, Eleta Kingsley, Golam Mostafa, Uttam Kumar Banik, Mohiuddin Ibnul Siraji, Chomrin Rakhain, Enamul Haque, Rafiqur Rahman Mamun, Saidul Haq, Anisul Alam Sweet, Maruf Ahmed, Imtiaz Sultan Jitu, Iqbal Hossain Bhuiyan, Mohammad Khaled, Mohammad Ibrahim, Nurul Alam, Shohag Hossain Palash, Agbulu Inaligview, Rasel Mahmud Liton, Mostafizur Rahman Saikat, Shamol Ahmed Rony, Zahid Parvez Chowdhury, Mohammad Biplob, Eleta Benjamin.
-With New Age input
