BFF's body to probe SAFF failure
The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has named a three-member probe committee to investigate the reasons behind the national team's failure in the just concluded fifth SAFF Championship.
BFF vice-president Badal Roy confirmed yesterday that a meeting of the emergency committee decided to form the probe committee headed by BFF member Harunur Rashid. The other members are Anwarul Hoque Helal and Sirajul Islam Bachchu.
The committee has already received reports of national team leader Shafiquzzaman, manager Sheikh Mohammed Aslam and national coach Abu Yusuf, who has stepped down also as BFF coach two days earlier.
The committee will have its first meeting today, informed Badal Roy, who feels that the national team desperately need a foreign coach to rise from their present woeful condition.
"I have seen the team before and during our last game in the SAFF against Sri Lanka. I feel we have no other option but to appoint a foreign coach," said Badal, also the chairman of the National Team Management Committee (NTMC).
BFF president Kazi Salahuddin, however, has said that it would be difficult for the federation to rope in a foreign coach at the moment due to various problems including lack of fund.
Yusuf has complained that he did not have the freedom while running the team but Badal denies the allegations.
"The allegations of the coach are not true. The team manager (Aslam) may have given some suggestions as a former national player but he never tried to put Yusuf under pressure. The coach selected the team."
Dismissing Yusuf's complaints about the NTMC to interfere in the team selection, Badal said whatever his committee had done was for the sake of the team. "I know my committee's limit and we have never crossed the line," he said referring to the NTMC's move to include senior players Joy and Nazrul in a bid to strengthen the team although Yusuf was against it.
He also regarded Yusuf's comment that the present management, like the past, do not provide a good environment for even a foreign coach unjustified.
"I think he is saying this under pressure from some quarters. There is no truth in it," said the former national captain.
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