Leave for Assam today
Three-time Bangladesh League champions Abahani leave for Assam this afternoon to take part in the Bordoloi Trophy as part of their preparations ahead of the upcoming season.
Abahani, who are still unaware of their opponents, will start their campaign from the second round as they have been drawn along with two other teams who have come to this stage by playing in the preliminary round. The top two teams will qualify for the semifinals and Abahani’s target is to be champions in the tournament, of which they made the semifinals the last time they played in 2007.
The Dhanmondi-based outfit, after losing some key players to newcomers Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and a rejuvenated Muktijoddha Sansad well before the players’ transfer, basically have the intention to gauge their new players during the Bordoli Trophy before signing them officially in October.
“In the last two weeks we put stress on players’ stamina and conditioning but hardly got much time to practice with ball. But I think the players are now in a good shape and the last two days’ practice with the ball would help the players a lot before the competitive matches in India,” said coach Amalesh Sen yesterday.
Amalesh informed that Abahani have two targets in the tournament: first is to clinch the title to boost the players’ moral before the domestic campaigns begin in October, and secondly, to build a good combination as some new players have been included this time.
Abahani have faith on their older players in Nazrul Islam, Ibnul Siraji, Pranotosh Kumar, Mehdi Hasan Ujjal, Abul Hossain, Mohammad Robin, goalkeeper Zia, Shohag, Mintu and Biplob but they now want to scrutinise the newcomers like striker Alfaz Ahmed, Mamun Mia, Imtiaz Sultan Jitu, Arup Kumar, Choumin Rakhain and Linkon in the tournament.
Asked about two foreign recruits Ghanaian striker Twam and midfielder Yousif Aminu, Sen said, “It seems to me that both foreign players are comparatively better than last season’s striker Sheriff Din Mohammad but obviously they are not extraordinary.”
Meanwhile, Abahani long-serving foreigners Awdhu Ibrahim and Samad Yousuf will also tour Assam.
