One hardly needs to be told twice that the state of football in the country is parlous. Under the shadow of cricket and its glorious successes at the top flight, football, the local league, and its minor successes in the international stage have almost pushed the game to the edge of a precipice.
There is indeed a great deal of profundity in the saying that what is on top today may be at the bottom in the future.
In the '80s, when football was indisputably the sport of the masses, cricket lived in the shadows. Very few know that Bangladesh in the '70s and '80s almost inevitably played the ICC World Cup qualifying round finals, losing always to Zimbabwe, who later went to feature in cricket's top level meet since only one team could progress back then.
Anyway, the contrasting picture of the past is not in question here; in recent days, the contentious topic within the sporting circle is the proposal to include three African players in the national side after handing them citizenship status.
Rules state, if a player has stayed in the country for five years, he can apply and the football federation is keen to capitalise on this clause, keeping in mind some tough World Cup qualifying matches ahead, and, of course, the main attraction of South Asia -- the SAFF Football meet.
As soon as the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) announced such a move, a polarisation has taken place -- almost everyone outside the governing body feels that this would be suicidal since local players will be left out.
A former national goalkeeper also questioned the rationality of naturalising three foreign players almost touching 30, saying that most foreigners who play here are not of any enviable standard.
In fact, several quarters have doubted what players, who have at the most three years to give to professional football, can do for the national side.
To speak clearly, the plan to include three foreigners, Samad, Bangura, and Kingsley, is perhaps the most intelligent decision the BFF has taken in recent times.
Instead of resorting to impetuous outbursts, the facts need to be assessed first. The nation team, the way it stands now, crashed out of the first round of the last SAFF football with some ignominious results.
Following that debacle, there have been some sporadic flashes of success, though let’s not forget that in the Bangabandhu Cup, we lost in the finals to the Malaysian u-23 side and not the national team.
And that too on home ground!
The problem is clear -- we simply do not have quality strikers. Now those who oppose the idea of including foreign players in the national team’s striking line on the basis that this would deprive our players, should bear in mind that, firstly, there aren’t play-makers, while at the club level, most scorers are these African players, puzzlingly dubbed “low quality” by our football pundits.
Question is: If the skills are sub-standard, then why keep them or, better still, how did they manage to spend five years in a row playing for different outfits?
In discouraging this radical move by BFF, some former players have pointed out that, instead of taking in foreigners, local academies should groom strikers from the grassroots level so that we may get goal getters like Aslam, unquestionably the most successful striker of the country who dazzled in the '80s till the mid '90s.
Having academies is definitely a sound move, though the results will come after ten years; what Bangladesh football now needs is a series of instant successes, nothing stupendous but at least a laudable result in the upcoming SAFF tournament.
Believe it, we just don’t have enough quality players now.
Just to bring an event of the past. In the mid-'80s, with a ready supply of skilled local footballers, two gifted Sri Lankan players, Prem Lal and Pakir Ali, who played regularly for Abahani Club, had their citizenship appeals turned down because we didn’t need them.
By the way, since so many of our former footballers belonging to the golden age of football (1985-1995) have deplored the BFF’s move to take foreigners, it’s good to keep in mind that in that specified period of glory, despite having super stars in all positions of the game, we never won the SAFF gold. It was a rag tag unit in 1999, led by a pugnacious Iraqi player-turned-coach, Sameer Shaqir, which got us the gold.
When the last regional triumph came in 2003 in Dhaka, Alfaz, now retired, was in electric form along with other ex-stars like Arman, Arif Khan Joy (now deputy minister for sports), Rajani Kanta Barman, Hassan al Mamun, Mintu, Motiur Munna, Saiful, and so on.
Face the facts: Current-day strikers do not come close to Aslam, Alfaz, or Naquib -- the three names which will be etched in the history books of Bangladesh football.
In such a scenario, handing out citizenship to include three Africans in the national side, both in defense and striking, appears to be the most practical move.
We need instant results, the national team manager Amirul Islam Babu has said, “these three players can add strength and help us get some success.”
Forget about how long they can play for Bangladesh. If in the next World Cup qualifiers they can add extra sharpness to the team and, consequently, give all out for the SAFF, we are happy.
Good to remember: Bangladesh has a qualifier against Australia, the number one team in Asia, so three Africans will be vital in keeping the inevitable loss to the Aussies within a respectable level.
The aim here, if I am not incorrect, is the regional meet to be held in a few months' time. Bangladesh badly needs to shine in South Asia, which is only possible if this naturalisation goes ahead swiftly.
Some detractors have pointed to the “patriotism question” of foreign players wearing a Bangladesh jersey. Well, there is always an added adrenaline when one is local, though it’s wise to keep in mind, sport today is all about incentives; declaration of a bonus can also trigger players to go the extra mile.
Football has been on the field round the year; national teams plus club teams have played countless international matches. There have been comprehensive training sessions, yet, during crunch matches, everything goes awry.
The last step remaining is taking in some foreign players by giving them citizenship. Hopefully, powered by the Africans, the national side can give us something to cheer.
A goal is a goal … whoever scores it, as long he has the Bangladesh flag on his jersey.
Towheed Feroze is a journalist currently working in the development sector.
