Bangladesh national football team head coach Thomas Dooley has praised the country’s love for football ahead of his first match in charge. He said football in Bangladesh has a “powerful heartbeat” that can be felt every day.
Bangladesh left Dhaka on Sunday for San Marino, where they will face the hosts in a FIFA international friendly on June 5. The match will be Dooley’s first game as national team coach.
The German American coach picked a 23 member squad for the tour. Goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico returned to the national team after being away for 19 months.
Dooley has spent only a few days in Dhaka so far. He oversaw three training sessions before the team travelled to Europe. Even in that short time, he said he was impressed by the interest surrounding football in Bangladesh.
In a Facebook post before the team’s departure, Dooley spoke about the attention the team received ahead of the friendly.
“As we leave for Europe for our upcoming test match, I continue to be amazed by the passion for football in Bangladesh,” Dooley wrote.
“This is not a World Cup qualifier. It is not a continental championship. It is not even a match against a higher-ranked opponent. It is simply a friendly test game against a team ranked below us. Yet the media attention has been extraordinary. Cameras lined both sides of the field. Reporters everywhere. Fans following every step.”
The 64 year old coach said the response shows how deeply football is loved across the country.
“That level of interest says everything about how much this country loves football. The expectations, the passion, and the support are immense. It is a privilege for me, our staff and players to represent millions of people who care so deeply about the game,” he added.
“Bangladesh football has a powerful heartbeat, and you can feel it every single day.”
Midfielder Hamza Choudhury will join the squad in San Marino. Shamit Shome and Zayyan Ahmed are also set to link up with the team there.
Bangladesh completed three training sessions in Dhaka before leaving the country. The team will hold four more sessions in San Marino as preparations continue for Thursday’s match.
