Bangladesh Football Camp Begins Ahead of FIFA ASEAN Cup
The Bangladesh national football team has officially started its training camp in Dhaka ahead of the upcoming FIFA ASEAN Cup. An initial 28-member squad was announced by American-German coach Thomas Dooley for the tournament in Indonesia.
The Bangladesh national football team has officially commenced its residential training camp in the capital city of Dhaka as preparations get underway for an upcoming international tournament. The team gathered at a top hotel in Dhaka to kick off their rigorous training regime supervised by the coaching staff.
This upcoming campaign marks a historic milestone for Bangladeshi football, as the country is set to participate for the very first time in a major final-stage tournament officially recognized by FIFA. The high-profile competition, known as the FIFA ASEAN Cup, is scheduled to officially commence in Indonesia during the final week of September.
Ahead of the tournament, American-German coach Thomas Dooley has announced an initial 28-member preliminary squad to represent the nation. However, the opening day of the camp saw only 18 players report for duty, alongside a notable absence from goalkeeper Mitul Marma, who failed to report on the opening day.
Addressing the goalkeeper's absence, Amer Khan provided clarification regarding the situation. According to Amer Khan, Mitul's wife is currently ill, and the player requested some time off to remain by his family's side during this difficult period. The coach reportedly gave his consent, and Mitul is expected to return to the national camp once the family crisis has been resolved.
Meanwhile, club commitments have also impacted player availability for the national team's initial gathering. Notably, Mohammedan contributes a total of nine players to the broader national team setup. Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan addressed the club's position on releasing players, stating that while they will certainly release players for the sake of national interest, the federation must officially send a formal letter. Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan emphasized that the club will make the final decision to release players to the national team only after receiving the official letter, adding that the players must return once the club's own training camp begins.
