'Midfield will be the key'
Maruful Haque, the new head coach of Bangladesh national football team, has said that he would expect the most from his midfielders in terms of attacking and scoring options in the upcoming SAFF Championship in India next month during his official presentation at the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) House yesterday.
The veteran coach, who will take a 28-man squad to Savar BKSP today for intensive training, said despite having little time at hand, he would try to get the best out of his players and focus on the weak points of the oppositions in the apex South Asian football competition.
The SAFF Championship, branded as Suzuki SAFF Cup2015, is scheduled to take place in Trivandrum, Kerala from December 23, 2015 to January 3, 2016.
“My build-up play will be based on the midfield players. At club level, I have always got goals from the midfielders and I would expect the same with the national team as you all know we have some deficiency in striking position,” said the 46-year-old coach.
The preliminary squad includes only four strikers alongside 10 midfielders, 10 defenders and four goalkeepers. The UEFA A-licensed coach brought back ten players who were excluded from the 20-member squad which took part in the invitational tournament in China recently while leaving out striker Tokish Ahmed and midfielder Shahedul Islam from that squad. Among those who made a comeback are veteran winger Zahid Hossain, young winger Jewel Rana, centre-back Nasiruddin Chowdhury and veteran striker Zahid Hasan Emily.
While Maruful will have plenty of options around the centre of midfield, it will be the wider players that he will need to get back to full fitness. Only Zahid, Abdul Baten Komal and Jewel are natural wingers in the side while Sohel and Hemanta sometimes play in those positions as make-shift wingers.
Maruful thinks Zahid and Jewel, both of whom were out of action for quite some time due to injuries, will get back to full fitness and remain injury-free in time for the tournament.
“Zahid [Hossain] has recovered from his injury while Jewel [Rana], who too had suffered injury recently, has trained with me in the last two days at the BUET Ground. If they can stay fit, we can expect to have them [in the final squad],” said Maruful, who has worked with a number of players regarding their fitness over the last couple of days.
Maruful reiterated that he has already done his homework regarding Bangladesh's oppositions in the group phase of the SAFF Championship.
“I have been doing my homework since I had my first talk with BFF. I have watched six matches each of Maldives and Afghanistan [two of the opponents, with the other being Bhutan], and I feel we don't have too much difference in quality. The only difference is mentality, which we can overcome if we can take advantage of their weak points,” said Maruful, adding that he will also look after fitness training as he has an AFC certificate in that area.
Spanish coach Gonzalo Sanchez Moreno, who had recently signed a six-month contract with the BFF as a development coach, has been appointed deputy to Maruful while local coach Zulfiqar Mahmud Mintu has been handed the responsibility of assistant coach.
A final 20-member squad is expected to be announced within a week.
Preliminary Squad
Goalkeepers: Sohel, Liton, Himel, Rana.
Defenders: Nasiruddin, Nasirul, Yeasin, Yeamin, Meshu, Keshto, Wali, Raihan, Topu, Reza.
Midfielders: Mamunul, Jamal, Hemanta, Sohel, Raju, Johnny, Zahid, Jewel, Komal, Faisal.
Forwards: Emily, Jibon, Rony, Sajib.
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