MD ANWAR ULLAH, Dhaka: National booters are eagerly waiting for the chances to step up their on-field performance when two FIFA friendly matches take place on November 13 and 17.
The newly-elected committee of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) arranged the FIFA friendly matches against Nepal when they all set to organize the matches after receiving written confirmation from the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), the football governing body of Nepal.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the National Team Committee Kazi Nabil Ahmed, MP, and Vice-President of the BFF disclosed their plans and preparations for the two FIFA friendly matches.
The national team players, however, are very much excited after knowing about the opportunity of playing two international matches almost after a year.
Former national captain Mamunul Islam and another senior booter Tapu Barman sounded positive while sharing their thoughts to The Independent this week about the prospects of taking to the field after a long interval.
“Really we are very much excited that after a long gap of about eight months due to the deadly coronavirus pandemic we are going to get back to our usual life thereby playing two international matches,” said an ecstatic Mamunul.
To be honest, he remarked, “I like to thank the newly-elected BFF committee for arranging the FIFA friendly matches. It’s really like a special occasion for us after going through those tough situations during COVID-19 across the country.”
For the organizers as well as the players, it is too much challenging “as we are not getting the game time for almost a year. In this situation it is too tough to maintain the formalities to accommodate the players and officials including the support staff following health regulations and safety measures,” said the playmaker.
“It’s great that we are going to get together after a long gap, will have training together and play – it’s really exciting. I think, these two matches will help a lot ahead of our FIFA World Cup and Asia Cup qualifiers and we could justify our physical condition of match playing fitness. We are enjoying much, really,” said Mamunul, one of the most experienced campaigners of national football.
Tapu Barman, one of the most dependable stopper backs of the national side also echoed with Mamunul while they’re talking to The Independent, “Truly, it is a great excitement that we are going to play after a long interval. We have never experienced such a tough time. So it’s a great relief for us from almost a solitary life and we are eagerly waiting to return to the lives we have been used to.”
“In fact, most of the players (14 in total) of the national sides are from Bashundhara Kings. We’ve already visited the club’s training and not worried about our fitness. Besides, all of us did maintain regular contact with coach Jamie Day via WhatsApp,” Tapu said replying to a query.
“These two matches are very important for us to justify our match-playing capacity ahead of our World Cup qualifiers and the ensuing domestic season,” the veteran footballer concluded.
