Abahani Limited can now register players for the new season after FIFA lifted the club’s third and final registration ban, but financial limitations are making it difficult for the six-time Bangladesh Football League champions to build the squad they had planned.
The club had intended to assemble a younger team that could stay together for several seasons. Instead, coach Maruful Haque is likely to rely heavily on players from last season after several of his preferred young targets have already joined other clubs.
Maruful is expected to remain in charge for a third consecutive season, while former Bangladesh international Shahid Hossain Swapan is set to take over from long-serving manager Satyajit Das Rupu in a management role. An official announcement is expected after director Anjan Chowdhury Pintu returns on Thursday.
The lifting of the FIFA ban allows Abahani to obtain their league licence and register new players. However, the club still has to manage around USD 180,000, or roughly Tk 2.2 crore, in outstanding payments, which are due to be cleared through monthly instalments by December.
“We can’t afford a strong team because we have to clear USD 180,000 in overdue payments,” an Abahani official told The Daily Star on condition of anonymity.
Maruful admitted the club’s squad planning is currently behind schedule.
“We are now in zero position regarding the squad,” he said. “We have to bank on last season’s players. If we can retain 80 percent of them, we believe we can fight for the title.”
Maruful has guided Abahani to runners-up finishes in the last two seasons, but retaining the core of that squad will depend on the club’s financial position.
Swapan also acknowledged the difficulty of competing without sufficient funds.
“You can’t form a strong squad without money,” he said.
Elsewhere, Bashundhara Kings are working to resolve 10 of their remaining 14 FIFA cases. The club is negotiating reimbursement agreements with players and coaching staff who filed complaints, with a club official saying they expect to settle the issues by next Friday and begin their pre-season camp the same day.
Fakirerpool Young Men’s Club are also close to settling three cases involving foreign players. General secretary Ahmed Ali said the club plans to clear around Tk 52 lakh through instalments within the next few days.
