Akbar takes Abahani challenge

Failure to reach the final of the season's curtain-raising tournament, Federation Cup, seems to be just a continuation of the poor form for traditional powerhouse Abahani following an unproductive last season where the four-time professional football league champions finished fourth in the league table and failed to book a final spot in any of the three tournaments – Federation Cup, Independence Cup and Super Cup. Abahani's helpless defeat against ultimate champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in the Federation Cup semifinal has given the team management a lot to think about and to that rot, they have flown in their successful Iranian coach Ali Akbar Pourmoslemi yesterday. 
The Iranian, who delivered two trophies in the two seasons he worked with the club, has arrived with just four days remaining to the start of the 7th Bangladesh Premier League. The initiative is being considered a late one and the coach believes taking the charge in such a late stage is a challenge, but hje is willing to take the challenge. 
“The League is very close (starting from December 27) and I have no time to work on technical and tactical aspects with the boys,” said Ali Akbar before conducting his first training session. “I am taking the first phase of the three-leg league as preparation and build-up, but I still want to earn maximum points from the nine matches.”
“In the last two legs, we will face the opponents with full strength in a bid to repeat the 2011 feat when Abahani became league champions under my guidance,” said Ali Akbar, who had been involved with conducting Asian Football Confederation (AFC) sanctioned coaching courses in Afghanistan, Malaysia, Pakistan and Iran after parting ties with Abahani in the middle of 2011. 
However, Ali Akbar believes his first task is to boost up the players mentally and bring back their confidence, which was shattered by the 0-3 defeat at the hands of Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in the Federation Cup. 
“Presently, I know nothing about the players but I will get an idea after tomorrow's (Monday) aerobic training and then I will prepare the training schedules for the team,” said Akbar, who believes his experience of working with most of the players previously would help him this time too.
The 56-year old Iranian coach, who was supposed to take charge of Abahani during the Federation Cup following the release of Nathan Hall, said his work would have been easier had he been in charge during the Federation Cup.
Ali Akbar's compatriot Ardeshir Pournemat was in charge of the club last season when the Sky Blues had a fruitless domestic season and failed to qualify for the second round of AFC President's Cup.