Bangladesh Football Federation have dismissed Under-20 head coach Gerard Jones after the team suffered two straight defeats in the AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers in Uzbekistan.
The federation informed Jones of the decision by email late on Thursday night, hours after Bangladesh lost 3-0 to Syria. Officials also removed him from the team hotel and moved him elsewhere in Uzbekistan.
Bangladesh Football Federation declared this decision via a press release on Friday.
Assistant coach Atiqur Rahman Mishu will take charge for the rest of the qualifying campaign. Team manager Samid Qasem will also continue to oversee the squad alongside Mishu.
Bangladesh have given the federation little to defend after two matches. They have conceded five goals, scored none and produced performances that raised serious questions about their attacking threat and tactical organisation.
The 3-0 defeat by Syria brought those concerns into sharper focus. Bangladesh struggled to create sustained pressure and could not find a response as Syria took control of the contest.
Jones had already faced scrutiny before the team travelled to Uzbekistan. His short spell in charge became increasingly difficult after disputes over his salary and a confrontation with an assistant coach at the team hotel in Dhaka.
Police attended the hotel after the altercation. Despite the controversy, the federation still backed Jones to lead the Under-20 side into the AFC qualifiers.
The results have now forced a change before the tournament ends.
Jones arrived with responsibility for Bangladesh’s youth teams and had outlined plans to develop the country’s young players. Instead, his tenure has ended after only two competitive matches in charge of the Under-20 side in Uzbekistan.
Mishu will lead the players into a recovery session at 4pm local time today. Nazmul Huda Faysal, Adam Abbas and their team-mates must now prepare for the remaining fixtures without the coach who took them into the qualifiers.
