Bangladesh’s performance in the recently concluded Bangabandhu Gold Cup was not as impressive as the World Cup qualifiers against tougher opponents, but the team still managed to achieve their target by reaching the semi-final. What remained the same year after year was a lack of consistency in front of goal. Why such inconsistency? And will the strikers ever get better? Head coach Jamie Day tried to find out the answers to these questions, asked by the media.
Why are the national players failing to maintain their consistency since the World Cup qualifiers?
The national team players have not had any rest for more than a year so players will get fatigued and performance dip! This is a quote from Jurgen Klopp last week, “We have to respect the players' welfare. They need a rest. They need a mental rest, a physical rest, and that's what the winter break is all about." English Premier League players have the best facilities to rest and recover and only play 40 (38) games a season! Our boys have no rest or recovery facilities and play 50+ games a season and expected to keep performing and this is also why they are now also picking injuries and we had three centre backs unavailable during the semi-final (against Burundi)!
Palestine and Burundi reached the final without their first team. Why don't we have a B team yet? Wouldn’t it have been better had we sent out second-string team to the South Asian Games in Nepal last month, and played the national players in the Bangabandhu Gold Cup?
Palestine and Burundi A or B teams have better players in depth than we do which showed. I think going forward for development I would like the U-19 team to go to the SA Games so that they can experience international competition and the national team get a rest with the focus on developing young players and not the main thought on gold.
Matin Mia didn’t get any chance for six months and made the difference on his return. Manik Hossain can also prove to be a good option for B team when Atiqur Rahman Fahad and Masuk Mia Jony return from injury…
The kick-off date of the BPL has been deferred for the second time as the 12th edition of the professional league is now rescheduled to begin on February 13, instead of January 30, with the participation of 13 clubs at seven different venues.https://t.co/UqQbWhEBe4#BPL #BFF
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) January 29, 2020
I think a B team would be a good idea to play a few games a year so we can continue to develop and prepare the fringe players for the national team. We have a very young team I think average age in this (Bangabandhu Gold) Cup was 22 so that's pleasing.
The key problem is scoring goals. How can we improve this aspect, especially in the premier league?
I don't see how we can unless these players play striker for their clubs. If they don't then we will still have the same situation. This problem has been the same for 30 years so unless change is made then it won't improve. Doing 30 minutes finishing sessions for national team is not going to make them goalscorers but playing every week in that position and getting experience will.
What about a striker specialist or striking coach for the local strikers in order to improve their technical and psychological aspects of shooting in front of goal?
We are looking at trying to improve the staff in other areas like fitness coach and match analysis but we don't have the budget at the moment. We are behind other nations in this area for example Maldives had 12 staff in SA Games and most other teams we play have the similar amount.
What about a striker hunt? Or giving nationality to African strikers?
This time around, @DhakaAbahani are not playing the Asian Football Confederation Cup finals directly like they did last year where they made history by qualifying for the knockout stages for the first time.https://t.co/aH1BMFlxoV#ABAHANI #BFF #AFC #LIMITED #ABAHANILIMITED
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) January 30, 2020
We are looking into that but we don't believe any foreign players fit the criteria for getting a Bangladesh passport.
What about a rule by the federation – to field at least a local striker in one out of every two matches?
There is a way we can look at but it's actually doing it and the clubs agreeing to do it, they have spent money in five foreign players so I don't see this changing short term.
You earlier reiterated the importance of reducing the foreign players in the league, but what happened in reality was that options for local players decreased through a professional league committee decision recently. It now allows clubs to include all five foreign players in the 18-man matchday squad.
I can only give my professional advice. If committees do wish to take it then there is not much I can do.
Do you have anything to say to the national players and their clubs regarding their playing position and welfare before the World Cup qualifiers in March?
It's not for me to advise the clubs what to do with their players, that's down to the manager and the chairman but it would be good for the national team if the players get chance to play every week in the position we would like them to play for the national team but I know that's going to be tough.
