Stalwarts of many successes in the domestic arena, Jahid Hasan Emily, Atiqur Rahman Meshu, Mithun Chowdhury and Wali Faisal believe that Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra possess the firepower of winning the upcoming professional football league.
Sheikh Russel registered 29 players for the forthcoming season at the BFF House yesterday. Amongst these 29, seven footballers represent the national side – second highest after Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, who have 14 representatives.
Emily, who is a member of Sheikh Russel’s treble-winning campaign in the 2012-13 season, hoped yesterday that his side will turn into a formidable squad with the inclusion of a number of high-profile foreign recruits. “We have a number of players who have played together for a long time. We know each other very well. If the club bring a number of good foreign players, we can match any powerful team. The reserve bench is very important for winning the league,” said Emily.
Emily and Sheikh Jamal midfielder Mamunul Islam had a superb partnership while the duo were at Sheikh Russel. Emily scored a number of goals assisted by Mamunul. Upon being asked if Sheikh Russel would miss Mamunul’s services, Emily said, “No. There are Zahid [Hossain], Mihun and [Hemanta Biswas] Vincent. We will work hard to form new combinations. Maybe our combination will prove to be vital against the opposition defenders.”
Meshu, the long-serving defender of the national side, thinks that Sheikh Russel are well capable of challenging for the title. “Winning the title is not new for Russel. The club proved it two seasons back. The club management is focused on winning titles. The coach [Montenegrin Dragan Djukanovic] is also good. We have a mixture of youth and experience. Why should we not focus on winning titles?” said the left-back.
Both Mithun and Faisal, meanwhile, stressed upon the importance of teamwork. “The atmosphere feels good. With the support of Bashundhara (sponsor), the club management has been able to keep the players motivated for success. That is important,” opined the two veterans.