Fabio Lopez’s tenure as the Bangladesh football head coach lasted just two and a half months after the country’s football federation sacked the Italian and named Maruful Haque as his replacement yesterday. Although Lopez, who took charge from Lodewijk de Kruif on September 10, had set his sight for the Saff Championship in December, the Bangladesh Football Federation cut his contract early on the back of horrible results both home and away. BFF vice president and national team management committee chairman Kazi Nabil Ahmed confirmed the appointment of Maruful.
The Italian was criticised in the media for overhauling the Bangladesh formation and style which they had developed in the past two years. He shuffled the formation, shifted players from their original position and handed new roles that backfired for the 43-year-old coach.
He began with a 2-0 away defeat to Kyrgyzstan in the World Cup qualifier and followed it up with the 5-0 away defeat in Tajikistan and 4-0 home loss to the Socceroos. However, it is the recent results in China that essentially made the BFF take such a quick decision.
The Bengal Tigers suffered two defeats to Myanmar club Hantharwady United and Chinese lower-division outfits Lijiang in the ongoing Yunnan Asean International Tournament. Although the side managed to win in their last game against Chinese club Hebei yesterday, it was not enough to save his job.
Meanwhile, this will be the first time Maruful will be seen in such a role for the national team. The Sheikh Russel KC coach Maruful, who is also the first South Asian to achieve UEFA A license in coaching, now has the responsibility to motivate the depleted souls and lead them to the Saff Suzuki Cup in Kerala in late December.
The decision came from a national team management committee meeting on Tuesday where the recent poor performances of the team under Lopez was brought under scanner. after the meeting where BFF President Kazi Salahuddin and vice president Tabith Awal were also present.
It is the first time as head coach of Bangladesh for Maruful Haque, who recently became first South Asian to achieve UEFA A license. The Sheikh Russel KC coach will now guide a disorganised and morally-down Bangladesh side in the Saff Suzuki Cup 2015 beginning in Kerala, India in late December.