England, New Zealand, United States, Australia … and Bangladesh? I know what you are probably thinking. This is quite an unusual trajectory. That too for someone who works behind the scenes for a football federation. But hear me out. This is not your average expat-in-Bangladesh story.
Football is a global sport, and I have always been open to accepting challenges anywhere in the world. I stayed in England for the entirety of my playing career, and I am proud to have represented Notts County, Scunthorpe United, and Doncaster Rovers. But since moving into coaching and administrative roles, I decided to broaden my horizon, and Bangladesh just seemed right.
I was working for the Australian Football Federation in 2016 when I heard about the interest from the Bangladesh Football Federation. We had relocated to Australia following my stint as the Director of Youth at Portsmouth when they were in the Premier League. I was working on player and coach development down under. FIFA had recommended me to the Bangladesh Football Federation when they were on the hunt for a Technical Director. Beyond my stint with the Football Association in England in the 2000s, I had been in similar roles in New Zealand and the United States. All things considered, the job vacancy at the Bangladesh Football Federation was right up my alley.
However, I did not know much about the country. I did some research and spoke to a few people, and mulled it over for a few days before deciding to fly to Dhaka to speak with the team there. I have never really wavered too much about such opportunities. The game-changer was my discussion with Kazi Salahuddin, the president of the Bangladesh Football Federation. I was sold on the long-term vision and the role that was designed for me.
I want to emphasise here that I am not really an office person despite my administrative roles. The phrase technical director could be a misnomer at times. As a matter of fact, I am extremely hands-on with my approach. My background has been with players and with coaches in a number of different countries at the highest level. I was tempted by the opportunity to be immersed in a role that was extremely exciting, both on the men's side and the women's side, as well as the education of coaches for Bangladesh.
I think the depth and breadth of my European and Asian football knowledge coupled with my experiences working with clubs, confederations, and federations throughout the world have allowed me to fully appreciate the enormity of the role in Bangladesh.
As you are probably aware, foreign coaches and experts have to be quite durable, flexible, and adaptable to come to a new country and deal with some of the things which are consistently there on a day-to-day basis. You need to fully understand the ecosystems both in Europe and Asia, which include the sophistication of competitions, the personalities in the different countries, and the appreciation of the key areas that need to be developed.
You also need the profile and the credibility to work in those areas. My professional playing and coaching technical background have helped me in that regard. I have managed to build and continue the relationships that I have forged over my career, hence I am able to pick up the phone and have conversations with several key stakeholders.
Work ethic is critical. I believe it is a necessity here to work from morning until night. I don't really have a social life in Bangladesh. I do enjoy a little bit of quiet time, certainly late at night, but I work early in the mornings and carry on through the day.
