Ord selects preliminary squad for camp
The preliminary squad of the national U-23 football team is all set to get to business at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan (BKSP) in Savar tomorrow after head coach Andrew Ord completed his second-phase trial yesterday with booters who failed to turn up and some from the U-19 team.
Ord had initially conducted a three-day trial with 35 footballers, who were selected by BFF's technical staff, from the 54 footballers plying in the Bangladesh Premier League clubs. However, the Australian wanted to watch players like Jewel Rana, Rubel Mia and Sohel Rana in action during training. And so, after studying those booters for the past three days, Ord selected his preliminary squad for the upcoming AFC U-23 Championship Qualifiers, which will take place in Palestine from July 19 to 23.
“Hemanta Vincent Biswas, Jewel Rana and Mansur Amin could not attend training due either to injury issues or family obligations but all three players have been selected in the preliminary squad which will be declared tomorrow [Monday] by the coach,” said the U-23 team's manger Satyajit Das Rupu yesterday.
Ord plans to compose the preliminary squad with approximately 35 footballers including 10 to 12 experienced booters such as Jewel Rana, Rubel Mia, Sohel Rana, Mohammad Abdullah, Jafar Iqbal, Toklish Ahmed, Abdul Malek -- all of whom have represented the national team in the past.
Rupu also informed that the players will report to him on Monday evening at the BKSP and training will get underway the following day.
The former national footballer also added that they plan to play a couple of practice matches before travelling to Palestine and have already asked some countries as to whether they are interested to play any warm-up matches at home or in Dhaka. The team might also play practice matches with domestic premier league clubs as well, he informed.
“As South East countries will also be taking part in the U-23 Championship Qualifiers, we have approached them for practice matches even though we are yet to get a response,” said Rupu.
Bangladesh had finished fourth in the 2015 Qualifiers in Dhaka where they suffered identical 0-4 defeats against Syria and Uzbekistan before playing out a goalless draw against India.
This time Bangladesh have been pitted against three strong opponents -- Jordan, Palestine and Tajikistan.
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