The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) on Friday announced the appointment of former United States captain Thomas Dooley as the new head coach of the Bangladesh men’s national football team.
The German-American coach is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka Friday morning to complete formalities and sign a two-year contract with the federation.
In a press release, the BFF said: “We are excited and optimistic to appoint Thomas Dooley, a German of American origin, as the new head coach of the Bangladesh national football team.”
The federation highlighted Dooley’s vast football experience, noting that he brings 43 years of involvement in world football as both a player and coach.
Dooley represented the United States national team at the 1994 FIFA World Cup and captained the side during the 1998 World Cup in France. He later worked as assistant coach of the US national team under Jurgen Klinsmann from 2011 to 2014.
BFF described the 65-year old as “a team builder with a deep understanding of the realities, challenges and passions of Asian football.”
The federation also pointed to his successful stint with the Philippines national team, where he guided them through an unbeaten qualification campaign for the AFC Asian Cup main stage while helping the country achieve its highest-ever FIFA ranking.
Most recently, Dooley served as head coach of Guyana, winning all four matches under his leadership before stepping down after a near nine-month tenure.
BFF president Tabith Awal had earlier indicated that the new coach would join the national team camp from the opening day on May 24 as Bangladesh begin preparations for the FIFA international friendly against San Marino on June 5.
The federation began the search for a new coach in early April following the departure of Javier Cabrera after more than four years in charge. Around 270 candidates reportedly applied for the position.
Dooley emerged as the leading candidate after negotiations with former Wales manager Chris Coleman collapsed over disagreements regarding agent fees.
A dual US-German citizen, Dooley enjoyed a distinguished playing career spanning 16 years in the Bundesliga as a defender and midfielder. He won the German league title with FC Kaiserslautern in 1991 and lifted the UEFA Cup with Schalke 04 in 1997.
Internationally, he earned 81 caps for the United States and his contributions later earned him induction into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
After retiring from playing, Dooley became the first American to manage a professional European club during his spell with FC Saarbrücken. He also held coaching and technical director roles in Malaysia with Sri Pahang FC and in Vietnam with Viettel FC, where he helped secure a league title.
BFF expressed hope that Dooley’s experience and leadership would help make Bangladesh “more competitive and successful by harnessing the potential of the country’s young footballers.”
