Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) is hopeful of Indian Ajay Kumar Bansal’s arrival next week. Bansal is expected to take charge of the national team as head coach.
It was also learned that Bansal met Mamunur Rashid, coach of the Bangladesh Under-21 hockey team that is currently touring India, and provided him some expert advice.
Though Bansal agreed to join the Bangladesh hockey team as head coach late last month on a three-month contract, he is yet to get the clearance of coaching a foreign country from the Indian sports governing body. However, with all the cultural festivals and holidays now over, BHF hopes Bansal should get the clearance within two-three days.
“I talked to Bansal yesterday (Tuesday) night. He said he could not get his leave approved due to government holidays. He will rush to Dhaka as soon as he gets the leave and we expect him to arrive in the next two-three days,” said Air Force wing commander Rafiul Haque, the spokesperson of BHF president Air Marshal Enamul Bari.
Meanwhile, the BHF also has an alternate option in Canadian professional hockey coach Mike Keenan provided things do not work out with Bansal and the federation.
“I do not think it will happen (agreement problem with Bansal) but we are not denying the possibility and cannot say ‘no’ to Keenan considering if anything goes wrong with Bansal he is our first priority,” added Rafiul.
Bansal is expected to take charge of the national team before the Hockey World League Round 2 slated for next year in January in Singapore.