National football team’s Dutch head coach Lodewijk de Kruif was scheduled to leave Dhaka yesterday night for the Netherlands to be beside his ailing father.
The 44-year old Dutchman asked for a seven-day leave from the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) as his father was diagnosed with cancer about four months ago but is said to be in dire condition presently. The federation accepted the appeal yesterday.
De Kruif is expected to return to Dhaka on August 25, a day before the first of two friendly matches against Nepal. Under the Dutch coach, the national Under-23 side has been training at BKSP for the last two weeks before playing three practice matches against different opposition.
“De Kruif’s father has been diagnosed with cancer. He asked for a seven-day leave which was accepted. He could leave tonight (Sunday) depending on the flight schedule. He is supposed to return on August 25 and resume his responsibility of the national team’s training camp,” said BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag yesterday.
Alongside assistant coach Rene Koster, De Kruif earlier arrived in Dhaka on August 2 following a four-month vacation. The Dutch coaching duo immediately took charge of the U-23 side ahead of the forthcoming 17th Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea next month.
De Kruif’s last assignment with Bangladesh was a Fifa international friendly against India on March 5 this year in Goa.
