No clear favourites

The Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup tournament is all set to get underway today at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong with no clear favourites emerging from among the eight teams in the tournament.

Although the second edition has lost a bit of shine in the absence of Indian clubs, the inclusion of two teams from Kyrgyzstan, South Korea and Maldives has strengthened the title race among the eight teams from six nations.

The team from Afghanistan is also comparable to other teams but the main focus will be on defending champions Chittagong Abahani, Bangladesh Premier League champions Abahani and FC Alga of Kyrgyzstan as Pocheon Citizen FC, a third-tier league South Korean team, has come with a young squad similar to Maldives Premier League runners-up TC Sports Club, who have brought 12 teenagers along with three national players and three foreign players.

Five-time Kyrgyz Premier League champions FC Alga -- who held Sheikh Jamal to a 1-1 draw in their AFC Cup Play-off Qualifiers in 2015 and finished behind the Dhanmondi-based club by virtue of goal difference -- are tipped as one of the favourites, while Dhaka Abahani and Chittagong Abahani are considered two of the others.

“I think the tournament is going to be a tough one because the participating teams are expected to be strong and we can only speak about who are favourites after a few games are played,” FC Alga's head of delegation Emil Busurmankulov said after practice at the Shaheed Eng Shamsuzzaman Stadium in Bondor.

Emil also informed that it would be FC Alga's third international tournament after their participation in the AFC Cup Play-off Qualifiers twice in 2015 and 2016 and that their squad has five national players but no foreign players.

As in previous editions, Dhaka Abahani are thought to be one of the title contenders following their domestic success and with a squad that has been together for nearly two years being bolstered by the inclusion of Sheikh Jamal striker Emeka Darlington and defender Yeasin Khan and Muktijoddha Sangsad midfielder Simon Ezeodika, their hopes of making the final have been brightened, although their experience in the last edition was not good.

“I am optimistic about the quality of the players we have and I would like to win the title here because we are the league champions and we have a lot of national players,” said Dhaka Abahani coach Drago Mamic before the start of training at the MA Aziz Stadium.

“The teams who have come here from other countries are surely good teams. I have checked and there are no easy team,” added the Croatian who believes a good start against TC Sport Club today is very important for them.

Hosts Chittagong Abahani had not been favourites in the inaugural edition as their team mostly comprised of hired players, but they surprised all and sundry to win the title. However, despite forming a strong squad which won the Independence Cup and became runners-up in the Premier Football League, the Sky Blues seemingly lack the confidence to repeat the feat with key senior players Mamunul Islam and Zahid Hossain not in great shape and the local players having to play with a new set of foreign players this time.

“I can't provide the exact information about Chittagong Abahani until one game is played. As defending champions we are also favourites but FC Alga and Dhaka Abahani are also favourites on paper,” said Chittagong Abahani coach Saiful Bari Titu over the phone.

REST OF THE CONTENDERS

POCHEON CITIZEN FC

Pocheon Citizen FC are a club in South Korea's third-tier. They have been playing in the K3 League since 2009 after their establishment in 2008. They have become champions thrice in that league where a total of 21 teams compete each season. It is the first time in club history that they have crossed their borders to take part in an international tournament. Pocheon Citizen are a semi-professional team but they have two players who have represented Korea for their under-23 team.

“We have come here to win the trophy,” said club secretary Lee Kwang Deok. “We don't have any idea about other teams but I think Dhaka Abahani and Chittagong Abahani are favourites in the tournament.”

TRUST & CARE SPORTS CLUB

Coach Mohammad Nizam is the star of TC Sports Club of Maldives as the former national defender helped guide the side to the Maldives Premier League in 2014 and has helped them become runners-up in 2015 and 2016.

TC have brought a youthful squad that comprises of 12 players of the under-19 team and three current national players, one former national player and three foreign players from Nepal, Egypt and Saint Vincent. It is also their first international tournament.

“We have come here as part of our pre-season preparations as we are confident of winning the title because no one expected that we would become runners-up in the domestic league,” said Nizam, who has been coaching for 14 years, including four years with TC.

MANANG MARSHYANGDI CLUB

Seven-time national league champions MMC are one of the oldest clubs in Nepal and they have come here after winning three domestic titles -- Far-west Khaptad Gold Cup, Aaha-Rara Gold Cup and Jhapa Gold Cup. Their target is to win the international trophy in Chittagong.

They have also played other international tournaments under AFC such as the Asian Club Cup Championship and AFC President's Cup.

“Our recent successes in the domestic circuit prove that we are one of the strongest clubs at present. And as we have a majority of national players in our team, we are hopeful of getting success here,” said coach Chhiring Lopsang Gurung.

SHAHEEN ASMAYEE FC 

Shaheen Asmayee was established in 2012 during the introduction of the eight-team Afghan Premier League. They have become champions in the league thrice, including in the last season. Although it is their first-ever international tournament, they have taken it as part of their their preparations for the upcoming AFC Cup. Shaheen Asmayee came here without their foreign recruitments but brought along five national players who are believed to be their main strength.

“We are just trying to develop our football in war-torn Afghanistan. Our club has come to this stage within five years and we have come here to get international experience, but I would like to win the title,” said captain Amiruddin Sharifi.

DHAKA MOHAMMEDAN SC

Dhaka Mohammedan surprisingly reached the semifinals of the last edition with a depleted squad and they are not in a very different situation this time either. Having finished tenth in the Bangladesh Premier League, the Black and Whites have assembled their squad with players from eight clubs to compete in the tournament and they will be hoping to repeat their heroics in the last edition.