Nayeemuddin wants to revive MSC
Indian coach Syed Nayeemuddin wants to go step by step in the upcoming season while giving priority to this month's Federation Cup after the veteran coach arrived in the capital on Sunday night to take charge of Mohammedan SC.
The fallen giants of Dhaka football appointed the legendary Indian footballer turned coach in a bid to bring cohesion among senior footballers, who were signed up in the recent players' transfer window. The club is also keeping faith on the Indian to produce good results after a disastrous 10th-place finish in the Bangladesh Premier League last season.
“I don't have any idea about the current Mohammedan squad, but I'm sure those who are going to play have the talent to represent Mohammedan. I believe in hard work. I just need one percent of talent and 99 percent of hard work to get success. I will build players through hard work,” said Nayeemuddin while talking to reporters at the club premises yesterday.
“I have to do something as I have taken the responsibility. My first target is the Federation Cup and then I want to go step by step,” said the veteran coach who previously had a few spells with Brothers Union apart from the national team.
Last season Nayeemuddin lifted Brothers to fourth position in the 12-team professional football league table after the Gopibagh-based outfit had been languishing at the bottom of the table with a single point at one stage.
“I guided Brothers Union to the title in the [now defunct] Premier Division League in my debut season in 2004 and since then whenever I came to Bangladesh, I coached Brothers. Apart from that I was appointed coach of Bangladesh national team in 2006. From my long association with Bangladesh football, I can say that the competitiveness of football here has increased but popularity has declined,” said the former Indian national team coach.
Even though the appointment of Nayeemuddin was confirmed last month, there were concerns whether the 73-year-old coach would join the Black and Whites as Brothers Union were also claiming that he would stand at their dugout
“I got the first offer from Mohammedan, so I accepted the offer and I am really grateful to Mohammedan,” said Nayeemuddin.
The season will get underway through the Federation Cup from May 13, with all the matches scheduled to take place at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka.