Saif SC's hands tied by income disparity

Bangladeshi football outfit Saif Sporting Club have suddenly recused themselves from all sorts of footballing activities from the upcoming season, citing the disparity in their investments and returns from it.

"The board of directors decided to withdraw from all footballing activities from the next season because we can't get the expected returns from the investments," Saif SC chairman, Ruhul Amin Tarafder, told The Daily Star yesterday, just a day after the latest season of the Bangladesh Premier League drew its curtains closed.

Ironically, Saif have called it quits after achieving their best-ever result -- a third-place finish -- in five seasons at top-flight domestic football, having been introduced at the professional football league in 2017.

"We think we can't contribute well to the country's football. Besides, we are also busy dealing with the current situation of our business and will not be able to give efforts for the club activities," said Tarafder after sending their official withdrawal letter to Kazi Salahuddin, the Bangladesh Football Federation president.

The BFF general secretary, Abu Nayeem Shohag, informed that they received the letter from Saif and according to the club licensing, a club have right to quit from the professional league.

Saif, the country's first club to be operated by a corporate business house, produced some good quality players over the years. Most notably, the likes of Riyadul Hasan Rafi, Rahmat Mia, Yeasin Arafat, Faisal Ahmed Fahim, Miraz Hossain and Sajjad Hossain went on to represent the Bangladesh national team.

"It has not been a good sign for country's football because Saif SC were used to form champions side by spending huge but now around 30 to 35 players won't be able to get handsome payments," said Golam Sarwar Tipu, former national player-cum-coach.

During their first three seasons at top-flight, Saif were the only club to have youth teams, with youth players given contracts ranging one to four years to facilitate a proper grooming process and keep them on board. However, the youth set-up was forced to abandon once the coronavirus pandemic struck. The club continued to set good examples along the way as they rarely shied away from availing proper facilities, by renting training ground on a year-long basis, for example, or through the appointment of foreign coaches in every season.

"They had a good structure with a professional shape at the club level and appointed foreign coaches along with a full coaching staff. They have also been producing players for the national team. It will now terminate. I think it's overall disadvantageous for the country's football."

Tipu believes Saif took such a decision out of frustrations.

"Though I don't know the inside matter, I think they have taken such a decision out of frustration as they couldn't get results despite investing a lot behind the team," Tipu continued, bringing the Saif president into the mix.

"Besides, he [Tarafder] might have a desire to run the club but I heard that he was barred from contesting from the BFF elections. Also, since he can't contest in the future elections, then why would such an investor run a football club?"

Saif-product Rahmat Mia, who played for Sheikh Russel KC in the just-concluded season, also felt sorry for the decision Saif took.

"Saif SC should stay in Bangladesh football and it is really necessary for the country's football. I grew up because of Saif SC and I've been representing the national team for Saif SC which have been an outfit for the budding players," said national left-back Rahmat.

"Now the emergence of junior players to the national football team will be reduced as well as the competition in the professional football league will also be decreased due to the absence of Saif SC," believed the former Saif SC defender.

Saif SC always claimed facing adversities on-and-off field to progress forward and the latest punishment on their foreign coach - Andres Cruciani - was also believed to be a harsh decision compared to other disciplinary measures.