The wait of three Japanese footballers who were signed by as many Bangladesh clubs is all set to be over as the Bangladesh Premier League midfield trio are scheduled to leave Dhaka for Tokyo via a chartered plane Thursday evening.
Norito Hashiguchi of Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra, Yusuke Kato of Lt. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Limited and Uryu Nagata of Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited have been locked down in the capital since the Premier League got postponed in the middle of March due to Covid-19.
Sheikh Jamal and Mohammedan have decided to wait for the Bangladesh Football Federation’s official decision regarding the future of the league and kept Kato and Nagata under contracts but Muktijoddha ended deals with all five foreign players, including Norito, confirmed a club official.
“We came to reach mutual terminations with every player. Players also agreed. They may get better opportunity elsewhere. The flight [chartered] is scheduled for 7pm. Japan Embassy made all arrangements,” said Ariful Islam, Muktijoddha manager.
Mutual agreements with the foreign recruits are not yet clearly visible at other clubs because of the undecided fate of the top division league.
Kato, who joined the club until the end of the season, is waiting for a good time to talk about contract and payments.
“I’m returning to Japan [Thursday]. Club agreed with that. I’ll come back again when the league returns,” said Kato.
Mohammedan's Japanese footballer Uryu Nagata is all smiles after a game He added, “I’m supposed to stay until the end of season. It is not good time to talk about the contract. The club are also facing bad time in this situation.”
Mohammedan also had similar talk with the foreign footballers.
“We are awaiting BFF’s decision before reviewing contracts with the players. Nagata is signed for the season and will come back 15-20 days before the next game,” said Mohammedan manager Imtiaz Ahmed Nakib.
During the countrywide lockdown, Nagata has been staying at the club tent in Motijheel and Kato at an apartment in Dhanmondi, close to the club ground.
'I want to return'
It was a difficult time for Norito, 24, in the last month and a half.
He shared the apartment with Brazilian midfielder Albert Frank, 26, in Bashundhara residential area, along with Guinean midfielder Ismael Bangoura, Cameroonian forward Paul Emile and Nigerian defender Cyrill Oriaku.
Muktijoddha's Japanese footballer Norito Hashiguchi
Compiling a series of short answers to different questions, Norito told Dhaka Tribune, “Happy to go back. It was no good in last two months for coronavirus. I have no friend in Dhaka. Going outside was not possible. I did fitness training at home gym. I miss football. I hope to play soon.”
Norito, however, has to wait two more weeks under quarantine process before rejoining his parents in Osaka, which is some 500 kilometers away from the capital.
Kato also lives in Osaka where his three-year-old boy, Ichi, awaits seeing his father.
The attacking midfielder informed, “We will land in Tokyo first, then we have to stay two weeks at a Tokyo hotel before moving to Osaka.”
Despite having no obligation with the club for return after the end of the contract, Norito, who played in Mongolia and Malta previously, replied to another query, “If they contact me, I’ll come back. I want to return.”
The last BPL game was played on March 15 before it got postponed indefinitely after only six rounds of fixtures.
Most of the 13 clubs asked the BFF not to continue the league but the federation decided to wait until the last week of May before making the final call.
