Treble winners Sheikh Russell Krira Charka completed their player-transfer formalities on Thursday and expressed confidence that they could enjoy even more success than that of last season.
Sheikh Russell completed their formalities in a low-key manner, arriving at the Bangladesh Football Federation House without any players. Coach Maruful Haque was also absent during the registration form hand-over ceremony.
Officials admitted that they were disappointed that they could not make the occasion special, citing the political disturbance in the country as the reason they decided not to bring any players or coaching staff.
Sheikh Russell lost a group of key players in Sony Norde, Mamunul Islam, Zahid Hossain, Mohammed Linkon, Zahid Hasan Ameli and Nahidul Islam, but club officials were confident that they could still grab all the silverware in the upcoming season.
‘We are confident that we will erase last season’s disappointment by winning all
four championships in the upcoming season,’ said Sheikh Russell KC director of sports Saleh Zaman Selim.
He also said that they will bring in a German playmaker who will be better than Norde, the Haitian midfielder who was one of the main architects of the club’s success last season.
Coach Maruful, however, was not as confident about his team after losing two key players, Zahid and Nahid, to Mohammedan.
Zahid and Nahid were two of the four players accused of taking advance money from Mohammedan but later deciding to join Sheikh Russell. To avoid punishment for the players, Sheikh Russell agreed to leave them to Mohammedan.
‘The team was good before the understanding made between two clubs. Due to losing strength now I have to back off from our previous target,’ said Maruf.
‘If you want me to compare with last season’s squad, we are now 20 percent weaker than last year’s team,’ he added.
Squad
Biplob Bhattacharya, Masud Rana, Ashim Dus, Aminul Islam, Rezaul Karim, Hasan Al Mamun, Mamun Miah, Rajani Kanta Barman, Bappi Hasan Murad, Tanvir Rana, Shakil Ahmed, Imrul Hasan Emu, Mohammed Suman, Sabuj Kumar Bisswash, Anower Hossain, Mohammed Robin and Mohammed Towhiduzzaman
-With New Age input
