Yusuf names team
Bangladesh fullback Hassan Al Mamun stretches during a training session at the BKSP yesterday.
With a goal of playing all out football in the AFC Challenge Cup, Bangladesh coach Abu Yusuf yesterday declared his team for the competition's qualifying rounds in Kyrgyzstan.
In absence of a number of seniors, unavailable due to early retirements, Yusuf had to pick many new faces alongside the trusted ones for the four-team qualifiers to begin in Bishkek on May 5.
The former national footballer, however, has yet to name a captain of the 18-member squad that will leave Dhaka on May 2.
Bangladesh play Afghanistan on the opening day, Laos on May 7 and hosts Kyrgyzstan on May 7 at the Central Stadium of the Kyrgyz capital.
Bangladesh, hosts of the inaugural Challenge Cup, are expected to shrug off Afghanistan and Laos in Group C but the central Asians would pose the major threat on way to the final rounds to be held in Hyderabad, India in June.
All matches of the finals will be held at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad.
Talking to reporters at the BKSP at a press conference organised by national team's clothing sponsor Nokia yesterday, Yusuf said he was seeing this tournament as part of their preparation for the SAFF Football Championship in June.
"Our aim is to prepare ourselves through the Challenge Cup qualifiers for the SAFF Championship, but we will desperately want to qualify for the finals of the Challenge Cup," said Yusuf.
Four qualifying group winners will join North Korea, Myanmar, Turkmenistan and hosts India in the 8-team finals.
Sri Lanka are the only team to have qualified so far as Group A winners following a massive 7-1 win over Pakistan in Chinese Taipei.
"If we finish top in the qualifiers, it will certainly inspire the boys in the SAFF Championship," said the ex-central international defender.
Yusuf, announcing the team in an extraordinary situation as no federation officials were beside him, said he would let the new BFF committee select the captain.
Hassan Al Mamun, who led Bangladesh in the World Cup pre-qualifiers, the country's last international matches, is expected to wear the armband again but Yusuf hinted goalkeeper Aminul, who was captain before his yearlong injury, is also a contender.
"I chose the team independently but I feel as there is a new committee, it should name the leader," he added.
"I have picked up those players, who are capable to play throughout the 90 minute in line with my strategy. That is to go for attack and come down to defend all together.
"The first emphasis was on the players' fitness for three weeks and I am all but satisfied the way the players have responded to the task, said Yusuf, who rated hosts Kyrgyzstan as favourites. "I believe we can beat Laos and Afghanistan.
"We have always suffered for lack of match practice and this time, it is no exception. We should have played at least five practice matches in different situations before going to Kyrgyzstan, which could be difficult this time of year."
Hassan Al Mamun also mentioned lack of match practice as a barrier for success.
"Still, we are getting something before the SAFF Championship. It would be a good preparation but our target would be to qualify," said the fullback who was touring Malaysia with the second string national side when Bangladesh lost 3-0 to Kyrgyzstan in the Nehru Cup in India last year.
"I feel we are one striker short and also, we miss an attacking midfielder like Abul who was excluded for lack of fitness."
Injuries kept Abul out while Bangladesh have only three strikers including Ujjal, who have been playing as an attacking midfielder for club and national side for the last couple of years, beside Emily and young Robin.
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