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Meanwhile, 24 players reported to the camp on the opening day but forward Jewel Rana and defender Yeasin Khan failed to join the camp due to injury. The remaining nine players from Independence Cup finalists Chittagong Abahani Limited and Arambagh Krira Sangha will join the camp next Wednesday. Andrew Ord will make his international debut as national head coach against Laos and the British-born Australian coach hailed the BFF's effort to keep the team in continuous activities in the upcoming months, saying, "It's time for action." Due to Abahani Limited's AFC Cup fixtures during the first half of next month, the players from the Bangladesh Premier League champion will not be in the national camp until the Qatar tour. Ord talked about his plan regarding the national players at Abahani. "Let Abahani concentrate on the AFC Cup. I can keep one group in training while Abahani can keep another group in training and playing. And when the time comes, like when we come back from Qatar, then it's the time to pick the best 23 and move it forward for the rest of the year," said Ord. Ord also reminded the unrealistic expectation of transforming the team from bad to good in only one game against Laos. He said, "You have to be realistic, you need to understand where we are but we have got to improve, we have to be built for 95 minutes, not embarrassing the nation by having unfit players. We have got to crop out the stupid mistakes. My responsibility is to make sure the tactics are right, to pick the right players and put them in the right position properly. The players also need to do their job." The BFF president Kazi Salahuddin, who was also present on the occasion, said "This is the best plan we can provide to the national players, like the good footballing nations do. I can ensure all the facilities but what I can't do is to put pressure on coach and players."
