Two-year extension for Day, Watkiss

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) wants Jamie Day to scout expatriate footballers from the United Kingdom in a bid to strengthening the national team, with the game's local governing body having already decided in principle to renew the contract with the English coach for the next two years.

Day was initially signed in May 2018 for a one-year contract, and following a fairly successful tenure, his contract was extended by another year, which would expire on May 15. Satisfied with his performance, the BFF is currently in discussion about handing him and his assistant Stuart Watkiss another two years' contract.

"The agreement with Day is almost the same as before but this time we are going to renew it for two years. We are still discussing details of some clauses slowly as we don't know when football activities will resume after the corona pandemic. Due to the uncertainty of football activities, both parties believe to give each other space to complete unfinished businesses, which is the remaining fixtures of Qatar World Cup Qualifiers and upcoming SAFF Championship," BFF vice-president Tabith Awal told The Daily Star over phone. 

Tabith, who is also vice-chairman of the National Teams Committee, informed that they are adding a clause in Day's new contract, which would be for him to scout expatriate talents from the UK to strengthen the national team.

"Though former coach Lodewijk de Kruif wanted to scout expatriate footballers from Europe, we could not it properly. Jamal Bhuiyan is our only expatriate footballer. This time we believe Day, as a British coach, can play a good role in scouting expatriate players from UK. So, we have kept this thing in his job description in the draft contract," Tabith said, adding that this time they want the coach to be stationed in Bangladesh for longer periods to avoid controversy regarding his lengthy stays in UK.

With all football activities halted, the BFF has proposed the contract to come into effect three months after it is signed.  

"We want to keep the contract flexible but realistic. We want to sign the new contract before the current contract expires. We have decided in principle to keep some clauses flexible such as when he starts to get salary, when he will come, when he will leave because FIFA and AFC are also supposed to deliver some rulings regarding the national team's coaching staff and we can adjust those rulings in the existing contract," Tabith said, adding that they have proposed that the contract would come into effect four to six weeks before the resumption of World Cup Qualifiers.

Day admitted to being in discussion about the new contract, which he said is similar to the last one.

"BFF proposed August and I understand the situation. We still have a few issues to agree on before the two-year agreement is signed," the coach told The Daily Star.

BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag also informed that contracts with two youth team coaches –Bob Ryles and Andrew Peter -- are supposed to expire on April 26 and that both coaches, who are currently in England, wanted to know about their fate.

"We haven't replied them yet as we have to discuss the matter with the high-ups in the coming days. After the discussion, we will let them know about our decision on whether we will renew the contracts or not," Shohag said.