A Tk 350 investment that birthed a national footballer
“Because my father, who was a farmer, did a lot to empower me to pursue my dreams, I asked him to stop working and rely on me since I am earning handsome amounts by playing football,” Chittagong Abahani midfielder Sohel Rana said as he spoke of his father.
When a farmer’s boy dared to dream
This particular story begins from around 2018, even though the protagonist's story was set into motion much earlier. It was around four years ago when Abu Saied, son of an average farmer, had refused to succumb to his father's demands at a pivotal juncture of his life and, instead, chose the more risky road, one that is less traversed by, a route which is all but forbidden to most as the long and arduous trek through the forest of dreams happens to be filled with thorny uncertainties.
‘Each coach had a different philosophy’
Bangladesh’s reliable centre-back Tapu Barman boasts the experience of playing under a number of foreign coaches at the club level and the national team.
‘My Eid starts soon after I reach home’
“Having offered prayer at the mosque in the morning, I could not have sweetmeats like semai, payes or firni. Instead, I had usual breakfast at the hotel,” Bangladesh national football team striker Nabib Newaj Jibon recalled with anguish the memories of the Eid that he had to spend away from home while on tour to Laos for the first leg of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup Preliminary Joint Qualification in June 2019.
It gives me great joy, says Bruzon after 100 games in Kings' charge
Oscar Bruzon, who has coached in Spain, India, Maldives and Bangladesh, has reached a milestone of guiding Bashundhara Kings in 100 games as they played against Swadhinata Krira Sangha on Sunday. The Spaniard, apart from working as the head coach of Bangladesh national football team, had already steered Kings to two Bangladesh Premier League, two Federation Cup and one Independence Cup since he took over in 2018. The 44-year-old coach talked to The Daily Star's Anisur Rahman and expressed his views on different aspects of the game. The excerpts of the interview are as follows:
‘The coaching job is about being hired and fired’
39-year-old Afusi shared his past experiences and goals for the second phase of the league with The Daily Star’s Anisur Rahman. The excerpts are below:
‘Match-fixing has turned into an epidemic’
The Daily Star (DS): How was your maiden coaching experience long after retiring from football?
‘This is something beyond our control’
Match-fixing in Bangladesh’s domestic football is nothing new, something that keeps rearing its ugly head almost every season.
From minimum wage to Joga Bonito stage
Having once buried their dreams of becoming footballers, Shankar Bagti Madhu, Anik Deb Barma Shuvon and Rony Mia Habib settled for working as day labourers at tea garden, agricultural field and on the bank of river to help their respective families earn bread and butter, but dreams, more often than not, find their ways into fulfilment. A little push or a helping hand, sometimes, is all it takes to land on the highway of dreams.
Is there any place for BPL in the world of professional football?
Even in its 14th year, the Bangladesh Premier League is struggling to find its identity in the world of professional football. After being