Emily makes a return

Controversial striker Mithun Chowdhury and winger Zahid Hossain have both been finally overlooked from the national football team as coach Nikola Ilievski yesterday declared a 26-member preliminary squad for the SAFF Championship, scheduled to be held in New Delhi from December 2 to 11.
Fellow bad boy Zahid Hasan Emily though was handed a recall. Mithun, Emily and Zahid were handed punishments for different terms in the domestic competitions following the breach of discipline during the home and away matches of the FIFA World Cup pre-qualifiers against Lebanon.
Meanwhile, a trio of booters were also not considered from the national squad that played a few practice matches against U-19 teams ahead of the AFC U-19 Championship Qualifiers that ended on Wednesday.
“The national team needs a characteristic striker like Emily, who is technically and tactically sound and he has a good sense about his position,” explained coach Ilievski.
“Mithun has not been dropped on disciplinary ground. He could have been considered for the squad if I could play with 4-4-2 formation, but this time I decided to play with a 4-3-3 formation, which is why he won't fit in," explained the Macedonian.
He however admitted that Zahid was dropped on disciplinary grounds and the winger now seemingly has little chance to get back into the national fold.
Apart from the exclusion of Mithun and Zahid, defender Wali Faisal, midfielder Monaem Khan Raju, striker Mohammad Robin and goalkeeper Ziaur Rahman, who all were the members of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers squad, have also been dropped while six players from the national U-19 team have been included in the preliminary squad.
About the inclusion many U-19 players, Ilievski said that only striker Abdul Malek and midfielder Shahedul Alam Shahed would be considered in the 21-member final squad if they play well in the practice matches.
“Apart from Malek and Shahed, other four players have performed well in the recently concluded AFC tournament and they now need a platform that's why they have been kept in the squad to give them some rooms to gain maturity with the senior players,” said the 56-year old coach.
The national team will play a practice match against Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in a part of their preparation for the SAFF Championship.
SQUAD
Mamun Khan, Biplob Bhattacharjee, Shahidul Alam Sohel, Nasirul Islam Nasir, Tapu Barman, Mohammad Sujan, Mamun Mia, Ariful Islam, Raihan Hossain, Rezaul Karim, Yamin Ahmed Chowdhury Munna, Pranotosh Kumar, Mezbabul Haq Manik, Imon Ahmed Babu, Shahedul Alam Shahed, Mamunul Islam, Ashraf Mahmud Linkon, Abdul Baten Komol, Mobarak Hossain, Shakil Ahmed, Atiqur Rahman Meshu, Touhidul Alam Touhid, Wahid Ahmed, Anik, Zahid Hasan Emily and Abdul Malek.