The Bangladesh football team will have a 14-day pre-preparation camp from August 7 before a six-week national camp for October’s World Cup Qualifying match against Afghanistan at Sara Resorts in Gazipur.
“Having taken information about our groundwork regarding the resumption of the national camp, we have decided to start the training camp at Sara Resorts in Gazipur for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in October and November,” National Teams Committee (NTC) chairman Kazi Nabil Ahmed said in an online press conference following the NTC’s meeting with head coach Jamie Day, assistant coach Stuart Watkiss, technical director Paul Smalley and BFF Medical Committee deputy chairman Dr Ali Emran.
“Selected players will have to undergo Covid-19 test from the nearest points in their respective areas before joining the pre-preparation camp on August 7 because we want to keep infected players away from the camp. Afterwards, we will take another initiative to do Covid-19 tests of all players and supporting staff on August 7 at Sara Resorts and we are discussing with BSSMU and Prova Healthcare how to collect samples from Gazipur,” Amhed, also a BFF vice-president, added.
“According to FIFA and AFC guidelines, players will then be divided into small groups of four to five and those groups will train separately and have no contact with other groups. Team officials and doctors will observe them during that period. After 14 days, if there is no risk among the players, then the main six-week training will start. In the meantime, foreign coaches will join the camp after going through Covid-19 tests both aboard and here.”
Ahmed also informed that they would be able to get the Sara Resorts’ ground into a good shape for practice and that players would not face problems availing the gym facilities there.
Awal also informed that they had already confirmed four coaching staffs — physio, fitness, goalkeeping coach and a match analyst — aside from Jamie and Watkiss, but it has not been confirmed when all the coaching staff will arrive.
The national players have been in touch with Jamie and Stuart and are following training programmes prepared by them.
“I can’t tell the exact condition of the players although all of them have been under the training programme and are posting training videos. We believe they are in good shape. I can only tell you the exact condition after seeing them face-to-face on the ground,” Watkiss said.
“We played good football in the four matches, barring the second half against Oman, and we are looking forward to the next four matches, which includes three home matches. It will be tough but we are hoping to secure three to four points from those home games,” said Jamie.
