Sirat Jahan Shopna did not place on record any complaints but only cited personal reasons behind her sudden retirement from professional football. She however, could not hide disappointment over a lack of competitive matches since winning the 2022 SAFF Championship. Here are the excerpts of the striker's exclusive interview with Dhaka Tribune after she quit football at only 22.
Why did you retire?
I have been playing for a long time. Now I think I need to give time to my family and myself. I have no regrets and no complaints.
Don't you think it's early?
I don't think I quit football early. I played for many years. You may think I still have many years left in me as women's football in the country is in a good state, but I played for eight long years.
How did your family react to the decision?
My family didn't want me to play football at the beginning. When the team started getting success then I was getting support from them. They became happy when we won the SAFF. After I took the decision to stop playing, they said it's my choice as I'm an adult.
Your parents must be happy now?
Yes, a little bit (laughs). They are happy as I'm staying at home after a long time. We didn't have enough vacations. There were times I couldn't be with them during Eid. I also couldn't attend special programs, like weddings, but now my parents are happy as I'm always with them.
Did Bangladesh Football Federation contact you?
The acting general secretary (Imran Hossain Tushar) knocked me and we talked for a minute. He said if there is any problem or demand, then I should let him know. That's all.
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When you won the SAFF Championship last year, did the thought of retirement cross your mind?
No. I did not plan anything even a few months back. I came to this decision suddenly. I don't want to say anything more about this.
You could have played for at least a decade, then perhaps become a coach or referee…
I agree with you. If I stayed with football, I could have done something good in future. I know, it's the reality. But to be honest, I don't want to continue.
Can you think of any bad memory on and off the pitch in the last eight years?
No. Just when I couldn't perform upto the mark and results weren't good, only then did I feel bad. I also felt bad when I failed to score.
Do you have any suggestions on improving female footballers?
Changes are needed because getting a good result on a particular day is not enough. Everyone expects better performance in future. That is why it's important to play more matches. If you practice all year round but don't play enough games then you can't identify the weak points. When we play matches we get to know our mistakes and work on those. The players want to play more. The league is also not competitive. It's better for female footballers if the league is of a better standard.
What is your take on the fact that the Bangladesh senior women's side haven't played any competitive match since the Saff Championship?
India and Nepal have already played seven-eight matches since then. They also played friendly with each other. If you sit back after such a result in the SAFF and watch others play games, we will fall behind. We watched them play on TV. Every player felt bad that there was no match for us.
Are these the reasons behind your retirement?
No (laughs).
