Fed Cup to end long hiatus

Following Bangladesh’s return to international football last month, the country is set to welcome back domestic football as the Walton Federation Cup, featuring 13 top-flight teams, gets underway at the Bangabandhu National Stadium today.

Following Bangladesh's return to international football last month, the country is set to welcome back domestic football as the Walton Federation Cup, featuring 13 top-flight teams, gets underway at the Bangabandhu National Stadium today.

Holders Bashundhara Kings take on last season's runners-up Rahmatganj MFS in the opening match at 5:30pm. Private satellite channel T-Sports will telecast the match live. All sports activities  remained suspended in the country since the middle of March in the wake of the pandemic, prompting Bangladesh Football Federation to cancel the remainder of last season in May which eventually resulted in players sitting idle for nearly eight months.

However, national team members returned to action through international friendlies against Nepal last month before squaring off against Qatar in a World Cup Qualifying fixture in Doha earlier this month. But majority of top-tier footballers are waiting to return to football on the back of a brief pre-season preparation.

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"Bangladesh is not Europe where players join in pre-season training camp after two to three weeks of holidays. It is really hard to have good preparation in such a short period," Saif SC's Belgian coach Paul Put said yesterday at the pre-tournament briefing, his statement perhaps ringing true for all the participating teams except for Bashundhara Kings. 

The defending champions had 17 weeks' preparation for the season opener while Abahani, Saif SC, Chattogram Abahani, Sheikh Russel, Sheikh Jamal and Mohammedan SC had around four to six weeks of preparation time. An exception is Brothers Union who failed to submit players' registration documents within deadline and have not started training as yet.

"I think every team will face difficulties after the long break. We have reconstructed our playing style in the last few months with impeccable belief," said Kings' successful Spanish coach Oscar Bruzon, who wants to win all trophies with new acquisitions from Brazil, Argentina and Iran.

Like Kings, 11-time champions Abahani have also brought three changes in their foreign line-up with the inclusion of two Brazilian players. The foreigners in will undoubtedly make an impact this time too as most teams have already bolstered their foreign acquisitions. "The new foreign players were signed to improve the team and we have confidence that we can win the Fed Cup. It will not be easy but are looking forward to the challenge," said Abahani coach Mario Lemos.

Foreign coaches, too, will have a key role in the campaign as Abahani, Kings, Saif, Mohammedan, Bangladesh Police and Arambagh KS have already appointed foreign coaches while Muktijoddha Sangsad and Brothers Union, too, are supposed to rope in foreign coaches. 

In last edition, Rahmatganj stunned big teams like Saif SC, Sheikh Jamal, Abahani and Mohammedan to reach the final but now they have a depleted side with three foreigners yet to join the squad a day before their opening match. 

As things stand, the title race is expected to be fought among teams with previous experience of winning it, but veteran coach Maruful Haque believes dark horses may appear and upset the applecart.

"In my opinion, this time more clubs [other than Bashundhara, Abahani, Saif, Sheikh Russel] will be in the race and can challenge for the title," said Bruzon.