Booters leave with tall task ahead of Qatar tie

With some happy memories from the two FIFA-sanctioned friendlies against Nepal, the Bangladesh national football team are set to leave for Qatar this morning to play their away World Cup and Asian Cup Qualifying match on December 4.

When this report was filed, the number in Bangladesh's contingent was yet to be finalised as players and officials took a Covid-19 test on Tuesday night after the second match against Nepal. Bangladesh head coach Jamie Day, who tested positive for a second time on Monday, has to stay in isolation in Dhaka and can only join the team in Qatar if he tests negative for coronavirus.

The booters may have come out on top at home against Nepal, but they know well that playing against Asian champions Qatar in Doha will be an altogether steeper challenge, especially as there is a cloud over their physical fitness after a long break from the game due to the coronavirus outbreak in Bangladesh in March.

"I think we are at about 80 percent fitness and we have two warm-up games for match fitness as well but we are still 20 percent away from the required fitness and need more friendly matches," Jamie told The Daily Star yesterday. "They have not played for the last eight months and had only 25 days' training, so they will be short of match fitness… that's why we played friendlies against Nepal."

Jamie praised his charges for their good performance against Nepal despite a short preparation and urged his charges to do their best within the available time for the Qatar tie.

"It is a fantastic achievement to go unbeaten in two games with two clean sheets and win a trophy with 25 days' training, so credit to all staff and players," Jamie said. "It is the time frame we he been given so we have to do our best in that time." However, Jamie won't be available to prepare his charges until he is cleared on medical grounds.

"Jamie will be in touch with the team through other coaching staff and oversee the programme of the national team in Qatar and give inputs from Dhaka," the national teams committee chairman and BFF Vice-president Kazi Nabil Ahmed told The Daily Star.

"The players have to quarantine for three days after undergoing Covid-19 tests in Qatar and then will get the opportunity to practice outdoors. I think they also need some rest after playing two matches in five days and staying at a hotel for three days won't be a big deal for them because they can avail gym and swimming pool facilities at the hotel during that time," said Nabil, who also thought the players are short on fitness.

Assistant coach Stuart Watkiss also emphasised on improving the players' fitness in the next two weeks before facing Qatar.

"In Europe, the pre-season preparation is normally six to eight weeks and it takes at least six weeks to be match-fit, whereas we only had three weeks' preparation at home. We can't hope for dramatic improvement of the players' fitness in the next two weeks but I am happy with their attitude and commitment, which shows that we are on the right track but far away from the target."

Watkiss also thought that playing Qatar would be a massive challenge and the quality of the players' preparation is very important for the boys in red and green over the next two weeks.