The Bangladesh Football Federation has announced a preliminary 26-man squad for their next two 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup joint-qualification ties against Qatar and India next month as Pappu Ahmed and Towhidul Alam Sabuj are the two new faces who were not included in the previous preliminary squad.
All the 23 players from the final squad against Afghanistan kept their places in the latest squad, while Lt. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Limited defender Monjurur Rahman Manik returned, along with Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited goalkeeper Pappu and Bashundhara Kings veteran striker Sabuj.
Head coach Jamie Day explained the reasoning behind the two new additions from the last preliminary squad.
Bangladesh football team will resume their training camp on September 25 to officially begin their preparation for the next two 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup joint qualification matches against Asian champion Qatar and India next month.https://t.co/XSjDVcH50F#FOOTBALL #BFF
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) September 12, 2019
“Just to see how fit he (Sabuj) is. He can score goals when he has a chance. It depends on his fitness once we see him,” said Day.
“Pappu is a good goalkeeper, I want Bobby (Mimms) to have a look at him. He has seen the others now and we have a tournament with U-23 team in December, so planning ahead as well,” continued Day, informing that he has started the process to analyze the matches of Qatar and India.
Bangladesh will host Qatar at Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka on October 10 before touring Kolkata to face India at Salt Lake Stadium on October 15.
The training camp will resume next Wednesday.
