The much-awaited friendly between Bangladesh and Nepal is only half a month away and not surprisingly, the footballers are lagging behind match fitness after five days of training since the long Covid-19 break halted all kinds of competitive action.
The 12 players of Bashundhara Kings participated in the fitness test after joining the camp the previous day.
They are the only ones in 36-member preliminary squad who trained together at the club for the last two months but still lagged behind in the race to achieve match fitness.
“Fitness doesn’t depend on running only. Bashundhara players have been in training but they didn’t play any competitive game. Match fitness is a totally different thing and we are far behind in this matter,” interim coach in-charge Masud Parvez Kaiser told the reporters.
“It is normal because there was no team practice or competitive game for seven-eight months. We have to play matches among us and work very hard to achieve the best possible shape.
“The first week will focus on fitness only according to which the coach will chalk his training plan for the two weeks before the friendly. Main target is to take the whole team level to a certain stage,” added Kaiser.
The four-member foreign coaching staff led by head coach Jamie Day is expected to arrive in Dhaka Thursday to take over the camp.
