The much talked Bangladesh Football Federation’s cash-rich tournament of the season Super Cup will kick-off at the Bangabandhu National Stadium from June 14. The Tk16m competition will, however, not feature any overseas player as the tournament will be eligible for locals only. The 11-day meet will end with the final on June 25. BFF president Kazi Salahuddin cleared all the confusions over the tournament taking place when he declared the kick-off date following a thorough discussion with all the eight Bangladesh Premier League clubs yesterday. Relegated Arambagh will not be participating in the competition. Representatives of Sheikh Russell, Sheikh Jamal, Dhaka Abahani, Team BJMC, Mohammedan Sporting Club, Brothers Union, Muktijoddha KC and Feni Soccer Club were present in the meeting. Mohammedan, however, asked for a day’s time to give their final decision as they earlier said they are not willing to play in the tourney. “MSC will finalise their decision on Friday,” said Salahuddin. Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan, the director-in-charge of Mohammedan, on his way out of the BFF House yesterday, however, said they will not play in the tournament. Meanwhile, BFF decided to alter the prize money of the meet and as per the new decision the champions will receive a purse of the Tk5m instead of Tk10m while the runners-up will receive Tk2m. Both the earlier editions of the Super Cup saw the respective champions take away Tk10m, but the other participating clubs this time raised their voice as they do not receive any fund. BFF in its latest step decided to provide Tk1.5m to the other six participating clubs as their appearance money. “We will split the money for all the participating clubs and they will be benefitted by playing the Super Cup, we hope,” said Kazi Nabil Ahmed, the vice president of BFF. He also added that the clubs can enroll new players and bring players on mutual loan from other clubs. The players are not in touch with team practice as the clubs closed their camps after the Bangladesh Premier League concluded on May 8, but Nurul Alam Chowdhury, the president of the unprecedented treble winner of the season Sheikh Russell KC thinks “it won’t be a problem, all the players are registered with the club till August 31st and they are professionals. I think with a few days camp the players will be ready for the tournament.” Monjur Kader, the president of Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, the runners-up of BPL, said they have responded only for the greater interest of the game. “It would be very tough for me to field a full-fledged team, but we have responded positively because we are here for football,” said Kader.
