Bangladesh set off for India on Tuesday morning for the U21 Hockey World Cup, which begins on 28 November in Chennai and Madurai, as the team prepared for its first appearance at any hockey World Cup.
The squad travelled on a US Bangla Airlines flight, with the airline serving as one of the team’s key sponsors. However, Dutch head coach Siegfried Eijkman, team manager Retd Lt Col Riazul Hasan and player Mehedi Hasan were unable to depart with the contingent, each for separate reasons.
Riazul Hasan, who is also the federation’s general secretary and has taken over as World Cup team manager, explained the situation. He said that Eijkman’s mother passed away during the Pakistan series, and the coach is travelling to the Netherlands for family matters. Eijkman is expected to join the team in India on 24 November. Hasan has yet to receive his visa, while Mehedi has been ruled out after contracting dengue.
Bangladesh will arrive in India ten days before the start of the tournament for final preparations, which include planned matches against Chile and Switzerland. The team will spend five days without the head coach, and the loss of Mehedi adds further disruption to tactical plans.
Hasan acknowledged the challenges but expressed confidence in the remaining staff. He said that the Pakistan series prevented the coach from travelling earlier and that the personal situation must be respected. He added that the coaching staff will follow Eijkman’s instructions, and that the assistant manager and other officials are experienced enough to ensure stability until he arrives.
The U21 side earned qualification for the World Cup and have undergone several months of long term training. The federation appointed a high level Dutch coach and arranged four preparation matches in Malaysia. A planned training trip to Switzerland was cancelled due to visa issues. With conditions and match practice in mind, Bangladesh opted to travel to India well in advance to acclimatise and continue their build up to the tournament.
