Long-term camp for U-16 women

The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has decided to keep the under-16 women's team in continuous training with an eye on next year's AFC U-16 and U-19 Women's Championship Qualifiers as well as December's SAFF U-15 Women's Championship.

The players of the under-16 team were released on September 19, the day after they arrived in Dhaka following the AFC U-16 Women's Championship in Thailand where they played brilliant football against Japan and Australia despite a moral-shattering defeat in their opening game against holders North Korea.

The girls in red and green are supposed to report to the team management on September 27 and start training the following day for the SAFF U-15 Women's Championship, which will be held in Dhaka in December.

“The aim of the training camp is to prepare the girls for December's SAFF U-15 Women's Championship with the participation of 37 players. Out of those 37, some 27 players including 13 from the AFC U-16 Championship squad are eligible to take part in the SAFF U-15 Championship. The rest of the players will continue training as part of their preparation for next year's AFC U-19 Women's Championship Qualifiers,” coach Golam Rabbani Choton told The Daily Star. 

Choton informed that they have already included 13 more players, who had a one-and-a-half month's training with the under-16 team that played in Thailand recently.

“Before leaving for Thailand, we had conducted training with 37 players with an addition of 13 new players, who were picked from trials. Those 13 players are already familiar with the system of training due to having spent one-and-a-half month,” said Choton.

“Among the 13 new players, some had represented Bangladesh in the AFC U-14 Girls' Regional Championship in Tajikistan. They may not be as good as the under-16 players but there are talented players among them and we expect to take part in both the SAFF U-15 Championship and AFC U-16 Women's Championship Qualifiers with the combination of experienced and new players,” said the successful women's team coach.

Choton will definitely have an advantage having the 13 players -- Mahmuda Akter, Rupa Akter, Maria Manda, Marzia, Monika Chakma, Anuching Mogini, Shamsunnahar, Akhi Khatun, Nilufa Yasmin Nila, Anai Mogini, Nazma Akter, Sara Ban Tahura, and Mosammat Sultana – who were part of the U-16 team in Thailand. Six of whom were in the starting eleven.

When asked whether he needs to pick more players for the AFC U-19 Women's Championship Qualifiers, Choton said: “There are many players outside the existing under-16 squad but there is no one like those of the under-16 team. Besides, the majority of the players of the under-16 team have already represented the senior team in last year's SAFF Women's Championship.”

BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag said that the training camp will continue till the next qualifiers but he is a bit worried about the accommodation facilities for the players.

“We have shortage of seats at the BFF dormitory. After the return of women's wing chairman Mahfuza Akter Kiran from Thailand, we will sit for a meeting to take a decision regarding how to accommodate all the players,” said Shohag.