<i>Players gain holiday weight</i>

Booters of Mohammedan Sporting Club regrouped at the BUET playground yesterday after the Eid vacation as the Federation Cup gets underway again on the 29th of this month. PHOTO: BANGLARCHOKH.COM

After a week-long vacation of Eid-ul-Fitr, most of the clubs including giants Abahani and Mohammedan resumed their Federation Cup camp yesterday. But almost all the coaches were faced with a similar predicament almost everyone was united in their belief that the fitness of the players had suffered during the vacation.
The Bangladesh Football Federation was forced to stop the season's curtain- raising tournament three days before the scheduled Eid vacation due to the steady rain that made the ground of the Bangabandhu National Stadium unplayable and subsequently postponed the tournament till September 28.
Only the coaches of star-studded Mohammedan and popular Abahani professed to be satisfied, the latter albeit reluctantly.
But the other coaches, including title contenders Muktijoddha Sangsad and Sheikh Russel, minnows Farashganj SC and newcomers Beanibazar SC were more or less disappointed with the players' fitness.
The footballers were asked to follow the schedules, given by their respective coaches, during the vacation, but they hardly maintained those charts that virtually deteriorated the fitness they gained before the start of the Federation Cup.
Mohammedan coach Maruful Haq is a bit lucky compared to others as his charges followed his instruction during the vacation.
"I am happy to see the fitness level of the players on the first day of the training after the Eid vacation. It seemed to me that the players followed the charts I had given them before the break," said Maruf.
Maruf informed defender Wali Faisal and midfielder Enamul Haq Sharif have been suffering from fever and did not take part in the training.
However, Abahani manager Sattyajit Das Rupu was not as fortunate as Maruf though Abahani gave only five days break for the players.
"To be truthful, you can't expect hundred percent fitness from the players after a vacation like Eid or Puja and it must deteriorate. But I think it will take the players a few days to retain their fitness," said Rupu.
The Abahani manager also informed that Ghanaian duo Sherif Mohammed and Mohammed Awal will arrive in Dhaka on September 28 or 29 to strengthen their attack and midfield line-up. Defender Rajani Kanta Barman did not turn up yesterday, but he is expected to join the camp today.
"Now I have to give extra attention on the players to regain their fitness as the fitness level of the players seemed poor and I think I will be successful to bring them in a shape within five days," said Muktijoddha Sangsad coach Golam Sarwar Tipu.
Farashganj SC coach Abu Yousuf and Beanibazar SC coach Jasimuddin Ahmed Joshi were most frustrated with the players.
"It seems to me that the players always look for a escape from the training and have to be constantly pursued to keep up their regimen. It is really painful that the players have no interest in maintaining their fitness," said Yousuf adding that he yesterday briefed the players for half-an-hour on fitness.
Jasimuddin Ahmed Joshi, coach of Beanibazar, came hard on the club officials for their reluctance to see whether the players joined the camp on time.
Joshi said, " Ten out of the starting eleven have yet to join the camp till today (Friday) and fitness levels of those who joined the camp are zero and it is painful that I have to start from the beginning."