Booters brace for domestic challenge
After the gruelling international schedule over the last two months which involved three successive international tournaments, Bangladesh national football team players are looking forward to shifting their focus to the domestic scene. All 27 footballers who were a part of the squad in the just-concluded Bangabandhu Gold Cup completed their formalities of the inter-club players' transfer, which ended on Monday.
The national booters, including those who were selected for the preliminary squads, had been engaged in training and competitions for four-and-a-half months as the game's local governing body started preparations for the Asian Games, SAFF Championship and Bangabandhu Gold Cup in early June in BKSP. Apart from training and conditioning camps, the booters played 11 international and four practice matches during this period.
Newcomers Bashundhara Kings roped in the highest number of national booters at eight, including three strikers, followed by Abahani, who signed up five players while Sheikh Russel KC and Saif Sporting Club roped in four national team players each. Meanwhile, Arambagh KS and Chittagong Abahani signed one national team player apiece for the upcoming season, which is set to get underway on October 22 through the Federation Cup with a gap of eight months between two seasons.
“For us, it was a hectic schedule but we enjoyed playing for the national team,” defender Tapu Barman told The Daily Star after his training session with defending champions Abahani yesterday.
“We are now focusing on domestic commitments for our respective clubs even though there is less challenge in domestic competitions compared to the international assignments. I think the domestic matches will be easy for those who were in the training camp and played for the national team in the last four-and-a-half months,” opined Tapu, who is however determined to give his hundred per cent for the club.
“As a professional player, there is no room for taking domestic competitions lightly and I believe every player will give a similar effort for their clubs like they do for the national team,” said the 24-year-old defender.
Bashundhara Kings and national team midfielder Masuk Mia Jonny also felt there is a difference between international and domestic competitions and that as professional footballers, they are ready to brace both challenges.
Even though Jonny is not worried about securing his place in the starting eleven, the lad from Sylhet is a bit worried regarding the positions of the strikers who played for the national team.
“Scoring was an area of concern for the national team in the last three tournaments but this time four foreign players have been allowed to play in a match. In such a situation, how can we hope that the local strikers will hone their skill in domestic competition?” questioned Masuk.
Jonny's clubmate Mahbubur Rahman Sufil is, however, determined to transform his national team performance to the club side despite the fact that his club has roped in three national strikers -- Sufil, Towhidul Alam Sabuj and Matin Mia.
“I always like to fight. Having three local strikers in the squad will help me perform better to secure a place in the playing eleven and I know there is no alternative to working hard if I want to avoid the reserve bench. I played for Arambagh KS and the national team regularly, so I don't want to sit on the bench for Basundhara Kings,” said Sufil.
Winger Jafar Iqbal of Saif Sporting Club believes allowing four foreign players in a match reduced the chances for local players, especially the forwards as the clubs depend highly on foreign strikers.
“To be honest, the foreign strikers are ahead of the local ones in terms of physique and skill, so we can't fight against them equally but I am determined to give my best if I am given an opportunity in the starting eleven,” said Jafar.