coach fabio lopez - Dhaka Mirror

Ameli impressed with new coach

Admin — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 14:00:13 +0000

Ace forward Zahid Hasan Ameli heaped praise on new national team football coach Fabio Lopez for helping them increase their mental strength and inspire them to work hard to earn a spot in the final squad. The Bangladesh national football team is undergoing a training session under the supervision of the Italian for their upcoming World Cup qualifier against Kyrgyzstan in Bishkek on October 13.
Among the 41 players of the preliminary squad only defenders — Kesto Kumar, Mohammad Linkon and midfielder Shahedul Alam Shahed didn’t join the camp due to injuries while midfielder Jamal Bhuiyan, who is now in Denmark, is likely to join the camp on September 27.
Striker Enamul Haque was given a one-week rest to recover from hamstring injury.
Lopez is likely to cut the squad short to 23 players today after watching a friendly match between national team and under-19 team at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.
Ameli said they are ready to give their best to impress the coach, who only believes in hard work.
‘Coach [Lopez] asked us to work hard and take the friendly match very seriously because he may finalise the final squad after watching the match,’ Ameli told reporters on Tuesday.
‘He [coach] is trying to motivate us and told us not to be scared of any opponents and also not to give up before taking the field.’
Ameli said that they are taking the ongoing training session very seriously after the coach said no one is guaranteed of a place in the final squad automatically.
‘Coach said only hard work will be considered before picking the final squad, so everybody is giving their best to make the final spot,’ said the veteran striker.
‘He [Lopez] said whoever the opponents are, we have to develop the scoring ability,’ said Ameli.
Ameli added that the new coach, who observed Bangladesh’s both World Cup qualifying matches against Australia and Jordan, didn’t like Bangladesh’s very little intention of scoring goals.
‘Against Australia and Jordan we took very little attempt to score as we concentrated mostly in organising our defence first. But the new coach didn’t like our approach and he told us to increase our scoring instinct.’
Speaking about SAFF Championship in December, Ameli requested the Bangladesh football Federation not to experiment too much before such an important tournament.
‘Before the 2013 SAFF Championship everybody was very serious and then experimented with the team several times,’ he said.
‘I personally believe it was one of the main reasons behind the debacle as we were eliminated from the group stage.’
After today’s warm-up match, the national team will go for a two-day Eid break.
The players will return to the training camp on September 27 at the BKSP.

-With New Age input

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Lopez gets into business with charges

Admin — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 09:30:08 +0000

New Bangladesh national football team coach Fabio Lopez got into business on Thursday as he conducted his first training session since taking over the charge this month.
The Italian has got three weeks time to pick up a 23-member side and prepare them for his first assignment against Kyrgyzstan in the World Cup qualifying match away in Bishkek on October 13.
Lopez had 37 players available among 41-member preliminary squad in his first training session at the Bangladesh Football Federation’s artificial turf.
Midfielder Jamal Bhuiyan did not join the camp as he is currently in Denmark while midfielders Hemantha Vincent Biswas and Shahedul Alam Shahed are recovering from injuries.
Newly-included midfielder Mashuk Miah Jony also could not join the camp as he is busy training with the national Under-19 team, which will participate in AFC qualifiers later this month.
Lopez said he will observe the technical and individual skills of the players in practice games during the camp before selecting his final squad.
‘We have now above 40 players so that we didn’t do the full programme of training,’ Lopez said after his first training session.
‘We just made it like a scouting session today. We will watch them for the next three to four days and then we will try to choose the best 23.
‘Just observing four days, it’s difficult to choose the right players as I am also a new man and as a human being I can make mistakes. But we will try our best to choose the best players.
‘We will choose those players for the final 23 who play in the first XI in their respective clubs,’ said the coach.
‘I don’t want to let those players in my XI who seat most of the time in bench for their clubs. Second thing is, the players must be fit and healthy.
‘I don’t want to talk about them who are yet to join the camp. Of course, who are training everyday and make sacrifices will have better chance than the other players.’
Lopez said he was not scared to see Bangladesh in a difficult group in the upcoming SAFF Football Championship where they have to compete with defending champions Afghanistan, Maldives and Bhutan in Group-B.
‘The group is very strong and every match is difficult. I know some team [Maldives] have good players but I think we are good too. I respect every team but I am not afraid of them,’ said the coach.
Right-back Nasirul Islam Nasir said they are eager to show their best to impress the new coach.
‘As a professional footballer I have to adapt to the new thinking and it’s natural that one exits and another replaces. Now we will follow the instruction of our present coach,’ said the defender.
‘At this level, we have to fight all the time, so we will have to battle each other in the field to impress the coach.
‘Nobody in the preliminary squad came here prepared to give any concession and every single player wants to make the final spot.’

-With New Age input

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Lopez introduced to his charges

Admin — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 05:27:47 +0000

A new chapter of the Bangladesh national football team was unfolded on Tuesday when their newly-appointed Italian coach Fabio Lopez was introduced to his charges as the players reported for national team duty. All 41 players from the preliminary squad apart from expatriate Jamal Bhuiyan, and injured Yeasin Khan, Hemanta Vincent Biswas and Shahedul Alam Shahed, reported to the coach either personally or over phone.
The training of the national team for the upcoming World Cup qualifying match against Kyrgyzstan will begin today after
the arrival of assistant coach Costantino Zuccarini and fitness coach Angelo Pavia.
Though Lopez did not disclose anything about his training schedule, captain Mamunul Islam believes the coach will give emphasis on the players fitness and discipline.
The 42-year old Italian told his charges that they will be selected according to their merit on the field.
‘He told us that all 41 players are equal to him and he will prefer those players who will perform in the pitch,’ said Mamunul.
‘So, this will be a new challenge for all players now to prove their worth and secure a place in the final squad.
‘It is a new chapter for us and now we will have to start afresh. We all have to perform to impress the new coach.’
The announcement of Lopez means that no-one was guaranteed for a place in the final squad for Bangladesh’s World Cup qualifier against Kyrgyzstan in Bishkek on October 13.
It may also pave the way for the players who are trying to get their places back into the national fold.
Mamunul also believes that there is no limit of learning and if they can combine the things
they learned from their
last coach Lodewijk de Kruif and the things that they will acquire from Lopez — they can reach new height.

-With New Age input

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Lopez given options to choose his squad

Admin — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 06:10:25 +0000

Veterans Wali Faisal and Faisal Mahmud, who were out of the national side for a while, were included in the 41-member preliminary squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifying match against Kyrgyzstan. The squad, announced on Monday to provide newly-appointed coach Fabio Lopez an idea about the available options, also had six rookies from different local clubs.
Bangladesh will take on Kyrgyzstan on October 13.
Assistant coach Saiful Bari Titu selected the squad, which retained all 23 players who were part of the squad during the recent World Cup qualifiers as well as 18 others who performed well in the domestic competitions.
‘As Lopez is new here we tried to give him as much options as possible,’ Titu told reporters. ‘It will help the new coach [Lopez] to pick his final squad for the next month’s World Cup qualifiers.’
Lopez will observe the players in the next five days before he trims the squad’s size for the residential camp at the BKSP.
Titu added that national under-19 national team players will also train with the national team so that Lopez can choose the players from the youth team if he wishes.
Wali Faisal, a Sheikh Russell Krira Chakra left back, last time played for the national team in the last SAFF Championships in Nepal in 2013.
Muktijoddha left winger Faisal Mahmud was picked for the first time after seven years since he last played for the national team in the 2008 SAFF Championships, jointly held in Sri Lanka and Maldives.
The new faces of the team are—Russell striker Mohammad Rumman, Mohammedan Sporting Club midfielder Masuk Miah Joni, Abahani Limited defender Shakil Ahmad, Brothers defender Rasedul alam Moni, Team BJMC forward Nabib Newaj Jibon and Feni Soccer Club forward Sohel Miah.
The players of the preliminary squad were asked to report to the team manager at the Bangladesh Football Federation today.
Squad: Mamunul Islam Mamun, Sahidul Alam, Mazharul islam, Rayhan hasan, Nasir Uddin Chowdhury, Yeasin Khan, Yeamin Chowdhury Munna, Jamal Bhuiyan, Sohel rana, Monayem Khan Raju, Toklis Ahmed, Kesto Kumer Bosh, Mohammad Linkon, Shakawat Hossain Rony, Atiqur Rahaman Meshu, Russell Mahmud Liton, Topu Barman, Hemanta Vincent Biswas, Zahid Hossain, Zahid Hasan Ameli, Wali Faisal, Imtiaz Sultan Jitu, Faisal Mahmud, Razaul karim, Jewel Rana, Tawhidul Alam Sabuz, Ashraful Isam Rana, Nasirul Islam Nasir, Wahed Ahmed, Abdul Baten Komol, Shahedul Alam Shahed, Shahedul Alam Shahed, Aminur Rahman Sozib, Emon Mahmud, Enamul Hoque, Mohammad Rumman, Masuk Miah Joni, Shakil Ahmad, Rasedul Alam Moni, Nabib Newaj Jibon and Sohel Miah.

-With New Age input

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Of promise and despair: Bangladesh’s foreign coaches

Admin — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 05:18:44 +0000

With the arrival of Fabio Lopez, the number of foreign football coaches for the Bangladesh national team moved to 17. All of them have come with lots of promise but with a few exception most of them failed to deliver any significant result. As a consequence, many of them had to leave with bitter experiences. The Bangladesh Football Federation also failed to show their professionalism in handling the foreign coaches on many occasions that damaged country’s reputation internationally. It is worth looking back to history involving foreign coaches as the country is about to enter a new era under Italian Lopez.
Warner Beckenhoft (Germany): The German coach was the first ever foreign coach in Bangladesh
history who took the national team’s charge in 1978. Beckenhoft was the first man who introduced European style in the Bangladesh Football.
In his two-year long tenure, Beckelhauft mostly worked with the Under-18 team and produced a group of footballers like—Hasanuzzaman Bablu, Sheikh Mohammad Aslam, Ashish Vadra.
Under his guidance Bangladesh national team played in the final round of the Asian Cup in 1980 and displayed some remarkable performances in the 1978 Asian Youth Under-19 championship in Dhaka.
Gerhard Schmidt (Germany): Another German Gerhard Schmidt coached Bangladesh team for a short period in 1982. He was the second coach who came here to work with Bangladesh football under a bilateral contract between Bangladesh and Germany. Under his guidance Bangladesh beat Malaysia in the Asian Games football in 1982 but failed to progress to the next round after suffering a defeat against hosts India in the group phase.
Nasser Hejazi (Iran): Former Iranian international Hejaji was a popular face in Dhaka football. Hejaji, who played for Iran in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, coached Mohammedan Sporting Club in 1988 and brought some notable success for the traditional club.
The success inspired BFF to appoint him for the national team before the 1989 Islamabad SAF Games. Bangladesh reached into the final of the Games but they were shocked by the hosts in the final match. The failure forced BFF to terminate the coach.
Oldrich Swab (Switzerland): The Swiss coach worked with the national team after former president of the International Olympic Committee Juan Antonio Samaranch provided him to work with Bangladesh football ahead of the 1993 SAF Games.
But under his guidance, hosts Bangladesh were not only ruled out from the group stage but also finished the six-nation tournament as sixth.
Swab, who was mostly renowned for providing the players honey to boost the team was condemned for his controversial decision of changing the position of regular players as well as dropping some in-form players from his team.
Man Young Kang (South Korea): The Korean coach, who mostly believed in hard work to achieve the success, tried to insert some Korean flavour into Bangladesh football after taking the charge in 1995. But under his guidance Bangladesh were eliminated from semi-final of the Colombo SAFF Championship losing to India in tie-breaker that expedited the Korean’s exit.
Otto Pfister (Germany): He was the third and last German coach of Bangladesh national team till date. After working at least 20 to 25 years in different African nations, Pfister took the charge of Bangladesh football in 1995. He brought the first international silverware for Bangladesh winning the four-nation football title in Myanmar on that year.
But he failed to give the SAF Games title after his charges suffered a defeat in the final against hosts India. Even though the high-profile coach showed huge interest to work with the Bangladesh football but BFF severed relationship with him after Bangladesh failed to win the SAFF Championship title in Kathmandu in 1997. Pfister then took the Saudi Arabia team in the 1996 World Cup final and Togo in 2006 World Cup final.
Samir Shaker (Iraq): A member of Iraq’s 1986 World Cup playing squad, he brought the first major international silverware for Bangladesh in 1999 SAF Games. After bringing the dream trophy Shakir had to leave his job because he did not have the coaching certificate from AFC or FIFA to coach a national side.
Mark Harrison (England): The high-profile Englishman, who took charge of the national team in April 2000, had to leave just after six months in charge due to what he said ‘unprofessionalism of football’ here.
George Kottan (Austria): Kottan guided Bangladesh to win the first and only SAFF Championship title in 2003. Kottan brought some changes in the attitude and the playing style of the footballers, but his exit was also not smooth due to his criticism of poor structure and ground against the BFF. He antagonises some of the official, including the then vice-president Abdur Rahim that led his departure.
Diego Andres Cruciani (Argentina): Cruciani was one of the much-talked about recruits by the BFF who joined the national team in August 2005. The Argentine started a new era by bringing the Latin style in Bangladesh football. Under his guidance Bangladesh became runners-up in a four-nation tournament in Myanmar and also reached into the 2005 SAFF Championship final but a spirited Bangladesh side failed to taste the second successive SAFF title after suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat against India. Cruciani was terminated after his charged suffered a huge 6-1 defeat against Tajikistan in the quarter-final of maiden AFC Challenge Cup tournament in 2006.
Syed Nayeemuddin (India): Following the sacking of Cruciani BFF appointed veteran Indian coach Nayeemuddin as interim coach for national team for few months. He also failed to make any notable difference.
Edson Silva Dido (Brazil): The only Brazilian coach of national team, Dido took charge of the national team in January 2009 ahead of the Dhaka SAFF Championship. He produced some new talents like Shahedul Alam, Abdul baten Majumder, Emon Babu, who subsequently represented national team. But Dido lost his job after excluding seven regular footballers – Rajani Kanta Berman, Biplob Bhattacharya, Arman Aziz, Zahed Parvez, Zahid Hossain, Mofazzel Hossain and Ariful Islam – from the final squad on the disciplinary ground. After failing to convince the coach, BFF’s national team management committee, led by Badal Roy, finally dismissed the Brazilian.
Zoran Djordjevic (Serbia): The Serbian coach led Bangladesh to winning 2010 South Asian Games gold medal despite taking over the charge only one month before. Djordjevic, then, demanded a huge amount of money which the BFF could not afford and inevitably he left.
Robert Rubcic (Croatia): Rubcic, who signed a one-year deal with BFF in September 2010 left on June 2 without informing the authorities.
It was learnt that the Croat refused to travel to Pakistan with the national team for the World Cup qualifying match due to security reasons and was also unhappy about his unpaid wages. He left with the BFF still owing four months of wages to him.
Nikola Ilievski (Macedonia): The Macedonian joined the national team in January 2011. Under his guidance Bangladesh beat Lebanon in the World Cup Qualifiers but were eliminated from the group stage of Delhi SAFF Championship after suffering two defeats against Nepal and Maldives. This debacle forced BFF to show him the door.
Lodewijk De Kruif (Netherlands): The latest departure was Dutch coach Lodewijk De Kruif’s who had a chequered time during his two-and-half year tenure. Despite being the highest paid coach in Bangladesh’s football history, Kruif was unable to deliver any significant result.

Courtesy of New Age

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Win all that matters, says Fabio Lopez

Admin — Sat, 12 Sep 2015 11:27:52 +0000

New Bangladesh national football coach Fabio Lopez said he doesn’t mind playing ugly if it takes him to win a match. The Italian explained his football philosophy
in an interview with New Age at his hotel on Friday.
Here is the excerpts:Q: Who had introduced you to Bangladesh Football Federation?
Fabio Lopez: I know a man called Zulfiqar who is working as a professional in football world. For the last eight to nine months I was free because I chose to stay with my family in Italy after one year away. Zulfiqar asked me if I was available and then introduced me to the Bangladesh Football Federation.
Q: How challenging is it going to be as you don’t have any experience of working with any national team?
FL: The national team is no different to club team here because the season is over and I will get the players for four months to stay with me. It will look like a club. I have the experience of working in Asia so I don’t need to adapt to the culture here. Bangladesh is very similar to Maldives, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Q: Many former coaches have earlier promised that they would bring success but they often failed. What are the elements you think are essential to get success?
FL: Usually it takes time. I can’t say what the solution of the success is. Normally you must be ready to adapt to the country’s culture that can make you working hard. Every coach has different football philosophy. I personally study very well. I even study how the players look at me on the field. How they feel me. I am a strict disciplinarian. If you want to become a professional at a certain level, you must have to be disciplined. We will try to remain disciplined in training camp, hotel and even during the time of playing. I will have a list of disciplines which team must follow. If they don’t follow it, they will get penalty. We are representing the country. We are not here for a visit. If I can do well, I am sure that we will fix a few problems. But I am not sure about the win. I am sure that we will keep something big in the team.
Q: How Bangladesh can be benefitted from your working experience in Asia?
FL: It’s all about the same story. When I went to Indonesia, I saw on the first day they started the training at 7:00am because of hot weather. I changed the time of training because the players got only four-hour rest at night. So, you do things keeping the tropical weather in mind.
Q: Bangladesh are facing a problem with their strikers for the last one decade. Do you have solution?
FL: Not necessary you have to get the goals from strikers all the time. If we don’t have a striker who can score from the penalty area then we must try some other way to get a score. This is our job. It is not only in your country that foreign strikers are taking places of local strikers. This is the problem in the world football. Thailand, Malaysia also face the same problem. I think it is just about working at the clubs. If the players are good in Bangladesh, they will get chances.
Q: Can you single out few Bangladeshi players who have impressed you?
FL: Not really. But your number 6 [Jamal Bhuiyan] is a good player. He is a fighter and I saw strong personality in him. At least at South Asian level we can produce some surprise and I wish I can make the difference.
Q: Bangladesh have become accustomed to a style of passing football in the last two-and-a-half year. How do you will apply your style?
FB: I can’t tell you exactly what I will do until I see the players. If we have the capacity to play football on ground and passing and possession-based football, then we will do it. But we need to win. Our objective is to win. So we can play long ball if it is plan.
Q: Your philosophy is to win. Does playing ugly or playing beautiful really matters?
FL: I need to win. I would rather ask you a question, what you prefer. Play well and go out of the tournament? or go out with the win? If we play bad and win the match, it’s alright. We must go to the field for win, not go to show how we perform and move.

-With New Age input

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