Booters wary, but hopeful

It will be hard to find people who will bet on the Bangladesh U-23 football team to retain their title in next month's South Asian (SA) Games following the recent performance of the booters at the international level. However, the team management is banking on the players to get out of their bad-patch to produce something better in the six-team football event.

Under the guidance of Serbian coach Zoran Djordjevic, hosts Bangladesh thrashed Afghanistan 4-0 in the 2010 SA Games in Dhaka to wrestle back the gold medal which they first grabbed in 1999 after beating hosts Nepal in Kathmandu. However, the recent performances from the booters have shown no hope. Even recently, Bangladesh failed to qualify for the semifinals of the Games twice in 2004 and 2006.

With only two weeks left until the football event of the 12th SA Games gets underway, Bangladesh U-23s have yet to start their preparations, with the squad not even being finalized yet, although a team dubbed the Bangladesh Olympic team had played in the Bangabandhu Gold Cup as part of their preparation for the SA Games. In that tournament, their results -- two draws and one defeat -- painted a dismal portrait.

"We will start the training within a couple of days at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan [BKSP] as we have yet to confirm three senior players in line with the demands of the coach [Gonzalo Moreno Sanchez]. Shakhawat Hossain Rony has personal problems while Jamal Bhuiyan wants to join camp at the last moment upon his return from Denmark," said manager Sattyajit Das Rupu yesterday, adding that striker Nabib Newaj Jibon and midfielder Monaem Khan Raju may be drafted in place of Rony and Jamal.

Apart from three senior players, seven players of the senior team -- Yeasin Khan, Tapu Barman, Raihan Hasan, Hemanta Vincent Biswas Sohel Rana, Jewel Rana and goalkeeper Rasel Mahmud Liton -- are ready to join the team. Though the players have not had the opportunity to practise together yet, manager Rupu opined that Bangladesh have a good chance to win gold.

"With the inclusion of 10 players from the senior team, we have compensated the problems that were in the U-23 team, but it all depends on the players' performance. We can only inspire them but they have to perform on the field," said Rupu, who also believes the side need a bit of luck for a good outing.

Hemanta Vincent Biswas, a key player of the squad, is also optimistic of reaching at least the semifinals, but says the side need to put up extraordinary performances to advance to the final.

"The seven of us have been together since 2011 so we have a good understanding and we also know the other players well at club level," said Hemanta, who is also confident of qualifying for the semifinals ahead of Nepal and Bhutan. 

"Afghanistan are not coming and we are ahead of Nepal and Bhutan, but we have to prove ourselves on the field," said Hemanta. "I think we have lacked concentration because we have been playing without rest since last season. But we have to prove what we can do."