U23 squad named as coach Ord laments lack of fitness

The BFF on Monday announced a 36-man Bangladesh U-23 preliminary squad ahead of the AFC U-23 Championship 2018 Qualifiers next month. The residential training camp will be supervised by newly appointed head coach Andrew Ord and begins on Tuesday at BKSP, Savar. The played have already reported to England-born Australia coach Ord on Monday. Following a five-day trial in Dhaka recently, this will be Ord’s second involvement with the players. Team manager Satyajit Das Rupu informed that the camp will continue until Sunday before a three-day break due to the Eid holidays. The camp will resume on June 29. He also said the federation is planning to hold friendly matches at both home and away against foreign (sub-continent) teams before the qualifiers. Injuries and a lack of fitness however, have hit the camp as Ord seemed unsatisfied with his attacking options currently available in the squad. Rupu believes that the injuries and illness of Jewel Rana, Rubel Miya and Hemanta Vincent Biswas are the reasons why Ord is unhappy. The trio have been included in the 36-member list.

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“We kept them in the team, hoping they will recover soon and join the camp. After that, the coach will start his work with the full squad,” said Rupu. Ord said he already has one eye on the future as nine out of the 36 players are under 19 years of age. “Twenty-five percent of the squad are U-19 players. They are the future of Bangladesh football. They will have game time, match experience, which would help them. I got one eye on the future and one on present,” said Ord, adding that he only found one solid left-back - Nurul Naim Faisal - in the squad. Among the 36 footballers, highest nine players are from Chittagong Abahani Limited, six from Saif Sporting Club, five from Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, four from Dhaka Abahani Limited and three each from Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited, Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra, Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra and Arambagh Krira Sangha. “I got surprised in the trial to see a lack of fitness among the players. Whatever the reasons and explanations, players are not fit. We need to train hard with lots of intensity,” Ord explained. Group E pits Bangladesh against Jordan, host Palestine and Tajikistan. The Group E matches of the qualifiers will be held in West Bank from July 19-23. Ord added, “One month of time has got to be good enough. “They all are strong. In Palestine, the ground's going to be foggy. It will be hostile. They will not be easy games. We just have to get fit, organised and earn some team spirit. We have to improve and build and get some experience.”