Photos: Ashraf Uddin Apu
The matches in the second phase of 2015 Manyavar Bangladesh Premier League is heating up. One particular match that was under the limelight was Rahmatganj Muslim Friend’s Society and Farashganj Sporitng Club. Earlier in the league, Rahmatganj held Sheikh Jamal DC Limited, to a 2-2 draw. Farashganj SC almost bagged the match against Brothers Union but wound up losing the match. What happens to these clubs in the Premier League is something only time can tell.
“It has come to a ‘do or die’ situation right now; we have to win this by hook or by crook” explains Farashganj SC’s coach, Rezaul Haque Jamal. That is what drives them to get ahead in the game. “We need to improve our defences and once we do that, we will certainly get better,” elaborates the coach. Jamal also says that performance is something that is not constant; there are certain things or the lack of it which determines the abilities of a player. If a club is able to provide a better standard of living and effective practice sessions for their players, the performance of the club will automatically get better. When asked about their strength and strategies, Jamal reveals “There is no strength in particular; we perform well on the days we give our hundred percent.” Despite coming from the grassroot level, Farashganj SC comprises of both local and foreign players and although some of them (locals) have played for champion’s league, they are still quite new to the field.
Jamal claims that during recruitment for the B league, the club was under budget constraints, hence the collection of players was not done in an organised manner. “The most common problem faced by clubs is finding a ground for practice. We may have equipment and jerseys, but all that is of no use if we cannot train properly,” shares Jamal. However, that still didn’t knock down their spirits. Practice sessions were eventually conducted at a police headquarter field in their community.
Despite tough times and unfavourable match results Jamal is excited about the upcoming matches in the league. “I’m looking forward to every single match in the league. I consider the match against Rahmatganj MFS to be quite challenging because performance wise, we are not very different from each other. I’m also keen about the games with Soccer Club Feni, Team BJMC and Abahani,” exclaims the spirited coach. According to the coach, the match against Sheikh Jamal brought out a rather unfortunate result for them. “It goes without saying that Sheikh Jamal DC Ltd comes as a threat, considering the previous match that we played against them,” chuckles Jamal. Regardless of the defeats and draws, the coach manages to highlight some of the best games played by the club. “Our best performance was against Brothers Union. We gave a stellar performance; in fact our ball position was much better compared to our opponents. Unfortunately, we couldn’t win the game. Apart from that we also played a tremendous game against Abahani as well as Sheikh Russel KC,” adds Jamal.
Upon speaking to Kamal Ahmed Babu, coach representing Rahmatganj MFS, it was learnt that the club has practiced diligently against all odds for the second phase. About the club’s strategies for the league, Kamal claims, that he has a cohesive team; hence there was no communication gap among the players. “If we continue to play with this approach, they we’ll be able to perform well and even win the upcoming matches.” The coach sportingly admits that playing against Farashganj SC will be a gruelling one. “It’s a challenge to play against teams that are in the relegation battle, because they play with everything they’ve got,” says Kamal. He also mentions that matches against them are far more competitive than those against champion teams. He hopes that their opponent Farashganj SC will play a good game. Kamal strongly believes that the standard and structure of professional football in Bangladesh needs to be upgraded. He also adds that this will yield in better performances from the players.
When asked about their performances in the league, Kamal claims that Rahmatganj MFS is a club which has gained popularity regardless of their results. “We were able to satisfy the football audience with our skills. Despite being a small name in league football, Rahmatganj MFS is recognised by everyone,” expressed Kamal. He also believes that premier league has set a platform for his players which have made a drastic difference for the club. Kamal further talks about his experiences in coaching the team for the league. Among all the matches, he believes that the best game was against Abahani. “We played an excellent game; although we lost the match, it certainly pushed us to the next level. In the second league, we performed well against Sheikh Jamal and Abahani,” shares Kamal. With the games continuing in the month of Ramadan, it created unfavourable situations for the club, but Kamal feels that it wasn’t a major issue. “Everyone faces difficulties during Ramadan, but it wasn’t a pressure. It didn’t hamper our practice sessions or matches,” concluded Kamal.