The footballers of Muktijoddha Sangsad KC have started boycotting their training sessions after the club failed to complete their payment, players and officials said on Thursday.
‘I went to the field for the last two days for practice, but no player turned up,’ said club coach Shafiqul Islam Manik, confirming the boycott. Muktijoddha are the second club to face the boycott this season after Mohammedan Sporting Club, whose players had earlier skipped training for the same reason.
A Muktijoddha player alleged that none of the players, including himself, has received their complete payment despite the season is nearing to end.
‘We visited from door to door to talk to the officials but none of them kept their promise. So we had no choice but to boycott the training,’ said a player asking not to be named. ‘The season is almost finished and we suspect if we are not paid now we will not be paid ever.’
The payment issue has had a clear impact on the result of Muktijoddha, who finished the Bangladesh Premier League first leg with 14 points from eight matches but could collect just two points from six matches of the second leg.
They are without a win in the last seven league matches and coach Manik blamed lack of motivation for their poor run.
Emdad Hossain Matin, the secretary general of club, termed the boycott move as suicidal.
‘We have no record of keeping the players unpaid. This time we are facing some fund crisis as some donors have backed out from their promise,’ he said.
‘We are hopeful this crisis will be over sooner than later. I don’t see any reason for the players to boycott training for money. It’s a suicidal move,’ he added.
-With New Age input
