Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet left Dhaka at early hour on Sunday without signing formal agreement with the Bangladesh Football Federation, leaving his position as the head coach of Bangladesh national team uncertain. Saintfiet had earlier informed the BFF that he would go home for two weeks to be with his family and federation was hoping to complete his contract formalities before his departure.
BFF, however, said that Saintfiet has promised to return to Bangladesh on August 17 and resume the training camp for the forthcoming Asian Cup Qualifiers Play-offs against Bhutan on August 21.
‘We have already booked his return ticket and will confirm it after his consent,’ BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag told reporters on Sunday.
Though the contract was not signed, we have already paid him some wages for his service in the past few days.
Saintfiet had a six-day long training camp with the preliminary squad from July 12-17 and he also observed two rounds of ongoing Bangladesh Premier League in Chittagong.
The question over his stay in Bangladesh was raised after Nigerian Football Federation short-listed him for the job of their head coach. On July 24, South Africa based sports website SuperSport reported that Saintfiet has put up his hand for the job of Nigeria’s technical adviser.
Saintfiet later avoided signing his formal agreement on the pretext of ‘stomach upset’.
Despite the uncertainty over the return of the coach, the BFF received boost in its quest for a quality foreign coach as several business groups came forward to sponsor the national football team.
BFF officials said they had fruitful meeting with some corporate houses like Max Group, Toma Construction Company and Impress Group, who agreed to bear the expenses of national team.
‘We had a meeting with some sponsors, who were encouraged by our plan regarding the national team,’ said BFF president Kazi Salahuddin at press briefing flanked by Max Group chairman Golam Mohammad Alamgir, Toma Construction Limited managing director Mohammad Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan Manik and Impress Group director Riaz Ahmed Khan.
-With New Age input