A chance for youngsters to step up

While head coach Jamie Day has competition for places in defence and midfield departments in the Bangladesh national football team, a lack of talent up front has forced the Brit to search for better options to get goals in international matches.

Day's charges have adopted well to his methods and defended well for nearly three years, but they are still like trainees when it comes to finding the target on the international stage.

In the absence of regular starter Nabib Newaj Jibon, Jamie last November picked forwards Suman Reza and MS Bablu for the two FIFA friendlies against Nepal in November. Suman retained his position in the national fold but Bablu was dropped following unimpressive performances in the domestic circuit.

Ahead of a tournament involving hosts Nepal and Kyrgyzstan U-23 side that Bangladesh will fly for on March 18, the 41-year-old coach again gave a couple of forwards the opportunity to grab spots, including Mohammad Jewel of Bangladesh Police, who made the jump from the standby list to a final 25-member squad by impressing in training.

"I really like playing in striking positions and I got a big opportunity by making it into the squad by proving myself. I have been playing as the forward since my childhood with an aim to score goals in every matches," said Jewel before the start of yesterday's training at Bangabandhu National Stadium.

"I was kept as a standby player but my target was to do something good to secure a place in the final squad and I am really happy that I achieved my first target. I will now try to secure a place in the playing eleven," the 20-year-old who grew up in the neighborhood of Arambagh said.

Meanwhile, Jewel said that he had faith in himself and was not taking any pressure to shine for the national team immediately.

"I have just started my journey with the national team. I don't think everything will come to an end if I can't shine this time around but I am hopeful that we can deliver something good against Nepal and Kyrgyzstan as well as in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in June," Jewel said.

Day added at a press conference at the BFF House that the three-team event would be a good platform for youngsters to showcase their talents.

"It is a good platform to test players because Nepal are close to us in the FIFA Rankings and in terms of technique. Kyrgyzstan are probably better than us technically and maybe they are the best team in the competition, but this tournament is a good platform to see players because if they are put at a higher level, it is difficult to judge them."