Booters off to Korea

LODEWIJK DE KRUIF

Bangladesh national U-23 football team left here for South Korea last night to take part in the upcoming Asian Games with a target to perform well against higher ranking sides.

In an attempt to cope with the conditions, the booters have been sent seven days prior to the start of the football event, which gets underway from September 14 even though the opening ceremony of the Asian Games will be held on September 19.

“Our first target is to have a well organised team with a good game plan and good technical attitude against opponents. If the players can stick to these plans throughout the 90 minutes, I am sure we can collect some points there because the team knows how to play,” said head coach Lodewijk de Kruif at an official press conference at the BFF House yesterday.

 Bangladesh have never crossed the first round hurdle in the Asian Games and have only won two of the 19 matches they played. One of those two wins came against Nepal and the other against the Philippines.

“I am happy with five weeks of preparation but we are in a tough group which also includes Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Hong Kong, all of whom higher ranked sides than Bangladesh. But we are taking it as a challenge; and I want the boys to be highly motivated for the country,” said de Kruif.

Bangladesh team have had more than one month's preparation at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan in Savar and have played six practice matches including two against Nepal U-23 team.

Captain Mamunul Islam feels lack of consistency is the main problem for the side.  “The problem with the side is inconsistency which we want to overcome and to do something good for the nation. I have been trying to cope with the style that the coaches want to instil and I believe we will perform well in the Asian Games,” said Mamunul.