Bangladesh face a significant challenge ahead of the upcoming SAFF Championship on home soil, with young forward Ronan Sullivan ruled out of the tournament due to an injury sustained in the United States. Sullivan, whose impressive performances helped Bangladesh secure the SAFF Under-20 Championship triumph, had earned his maiden senior call-up under head coach Thomas Dooley.
The absence of Sullivan, alongside the initial unavailability of overseas players Hamza Choudhury and Farhaan Ali Wahid for the opening match, forces coach Dooley to rethink his attacking combinations. However, midfielder Shamit Shome remains confident that the team possesses sufficient depth to bridge the gap. Speaking in Dhaka on Sunday after arriving to join the national camp, Shome addressed the sudden setback.
“This is very bad news. Ronan is a good, young, and talented player,” Shamit said. “We have to try to adapt. We will miss Ronan, but we have other players in the team who can contribute. Hopefully, with their performance, we won’t feel Ronan’s absence on the field. I have the confidence that the team will adapt.”
Shome also touched upon the absence of other key contributors like Hamza and Farhaan, emphasizing that collective responsibility will dictate their success on the pitch. “I know what I have to do on the field—play well and give my best to help the team. Obviously, we miss Hamza and Farhaan. They are big players who help the team. But if they are not there, we have two or three others who can step in and handle the position,” he added.
The tournament begins on November 5 at the Dhaka National Stadium, where hosts Bangladesh will face Bhutan in their opening fixture. Having last lifted the trophy on home soil in 2003, the national side is eager to recapture past glory in front of passionate local supporters. Shamit underlined the squad’s motivation to deliver for the fans.
“We want to win for everyone. This is a massive tournament, and I am thrilled to play in front of Bangladeshi spectators,” Shamit stated. “It has been nearly a year since we last played at this stadium, and we defeated India during that period. Hopefully, we can achieve a similar result in the SAFF Championship.”
Bangladesh are placed in a group alongside Bhutan and Sri Lanka, with the top two teams progressing to the semi-finals. While preparations continue under Dooley amidst fitness concerns surrounding defender Bishwanath Ghosh and midfielder Shekh Morsalin, the squad remains determined to maintain its focus and momentum when the tournament kicks off.
