Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuyan opened up about his time under former coach Javier Cabrera and said he did not receive much support from him. The midfielder now wants to move forward and start fresh under the new coaching staff.
Jamal spoke to the media on Monday after joining the national team’s preparation camp for the upcoming friendly against San Marino. The camp started on Monday as Bangladesh began preparations for the match, which will be the team’s first game in Europe.
The midfielder said everyone already knew he was not a preferred choice under Cabrera. Still, he now wants to focus on the future and give his best for the team.
He said, “New coach, new beginning. The previous coach (Cabrera) did not really like me. Everyone knew it, everyone knows it. I hope with a new coach and a new start, everything will be new. So I will give my best there.”
Jamal also shared his excitement about playing in Europe for the first time. He said expectations inside the squad are high because the team has become stronger.
He said the different weather and conditions in Europe will bring a new challenge for the players. Adjusting quickly will be important for the team.
He said, “Expectations are very high because I know our squad is very good and very strong. This is also the first time we are going to Europe to play. So the feeling will be a bit different because the weather there is different from Asia. We will find out how to adapt after going there. But this will be a different kind of match. We are excited.”
Jamal also spoke about the limited time for preparation. He said the domestic league ended on May 23 and players needed some rest before joining the camp.
He added that getting used to a new coach takes time and said Monday was his first meeting with the new coach.
