Going beyond South Asia

Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup tournament is gradually taking a continental shape as the second edition of the tournament is all set to go beyond South Asia by involving one team each from South Korea and Cambodia.

In the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2015, organisers Chittagong Abahani invited club sides only from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India, but this time they have confirmed two clubs from South Korea and Cambodia, one each from Afghanistan and Nepal. They are also waiting to include the last team from either Sri Lanka or Maldives. Though East Bengal and Kolkata Mohammedan of India took part in the inaugural edition, but this time no team from India is taking part due to their domestic engagements.  

“We have started the countdown of the Sheikh Kamal International Club tournament from today [Wednesday] as we are going to hold the second edition from February 18 in Chittagong. During the inaugural edition, we had invited teams from South Asia but this time we are going beyond South Asia by inviting the teams from South Korea and Cambodia,” Chittagong Abahani's secretary general Shamsul Haq Chowdhury said at a press conference in the capital yesterday. “We will also include new teams from other parts of Asia from next edition.”

Tarafder Mohammad Ruhul Amin, chairman of Chittagong Abahani football committee, informed that they have increased the prize money for champions and runners-up teams to 30,000 dollars and 25,000 dollars from 25,000 dollars and 15,000 dollars respectively. He also added that the organisers will provide air-tickets, accommodation, food and local transports to all participating teams.

Ruhul Amin also informed that they have invited country's two popular clubs –Dhaka Abahani and Mohammedan SC -- like the previous edition as the appeal of country's two most popular club still prevails among the spectators of Chittagong.

The participating foreign teams are: three-time Afghanistan league champions Shaheen Asmayee, seven-time Nepal National League champions Manang Marshyangdi Club, Korea's Challengers League champions Pocheon Citizens FC while the names of Cambodian club and a club either from Sri Lanka or Maldives will be declared soon.

In a bid to defending the title, Chittagong Abahani have appointed Saiful Bari Titu as the head coach.

“Retaining the title depends on the standard of the opponents. If I can work with the boys with enough time, I can guide them smoothly. However, I am optimistic about producing good results in the tournament,” said Titu, who had coached Arambagh KS in Bangladesh Premier League last season.