BFF hopeful to fix players' revolt

The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) hopes to fix the national players' revolt before the camp starts at the BKSP in the afternoon today.

Bangladesh booters revolted on Saturday by demanding removal of manager Sayeed Hasan Kanon immediately. But team leader and BFF member Shawkat Ali Khan Jahangir said he would sit with both parties after lunch at BKSP and try to solve the matter as quickly as possible for the interest of the country.

"I think it's a simple case of misunderstanding between the players and the manager over how to celebrate the 31st night in Bhutan. I will sit with the players tomorrow (Monday) once they join the BKSP camp and hopefully the matter will be solved then," hoped Jahangir at press briefing yesterday.

On their return from an invitational tournament in Bhutan, twenty-one footballers, led by captain Rajani Kanta Barman, submitted a memorandum to BFF president SA Sultan on Saturday that described Kanon as a highly arrogant and a person of questionable character.

The press conference, chaired by BFF assistant general secretary and organising committee secretary Badal Roy, was held to inform the press about the day to day progress of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship that begins at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on January 10.

Badal Roy meanwhile said the federation was ready to do whatever required to make sure the players kick off their SAFF campaign with high morale.

But neither Jahangir nor Badal could say what they would do if the players do not accept anything other than the removal of Kanon, the former national custodian.

Interestingly, BFF is learnt to have been actively thinking of appointing Mohammedan football manager Amirul Islam Babu as assistant to Kanon. Babu was called in by the BFF president at his Bangabandhu National Stadium's office yesterday.

Meanwhile, Bhutan will be the first team to arrive in the morning today. They have already reached Burimari border check post and are scheduled to start off for Dhaka by bus.

Sri Lanka will also arrive in the city in the afternoon.

Both teams will stay at the Grand Azad Hotel for two days before they check in the SAFF village at Hotel Sheraton on January 8. Maldives will arrive tomorrow and stay at the Grand Azad Hotel for a night.