Bangla Press Desk: Former Bangladesh national team coach AKM Maruful Haque, the country’s only UEFA A-licence holder, has often been one of the most outspoken critics of Bashundhara Kings despite their domestic dominance over the past half decade. Yet, in the recent debate surrounding Kings’ refusal to release players for the national team camp, Maruful has thrown his weight behind the champions’ decision.
Abahani head coach Maruful said: “Bashundhara Kings’ position is lawful (they are not obliged to release players 72 hours before), practical and logical from many perspectives. If it were an official tournament such as an Asian Cup qualifier, then it would have been unreasonable for clubs not to release players. But for two friendly matches, the national team does not need almost a month of training.”
Providing a technical explanation for his support, Maruful added: “National team training is basically match training, whereas clubs are now in pre-season conditioning. If players miss conditioning, they face a major risk of injury during the next seven or eight months of the domestic season. Their fitness and performance will also suffer significantly.”
Despite recognising the risks, Maruful’s own club Abahani released 10 players to the senior and U-23 squads, which has halted their training. He noted: “If the club had asked my opinion, I would certainly have said players must undergo conditioning. Without it, completing a whole season is very difficult. If players spend August training with the national team, play two matches in Nepal and return on 10 September before the domestic season begins on 12 September, where is the opportunity for pre-season preparation? If players get injured or lose fitness midway, it’s the clubs who suffer.”
‘Kings’ stance justified’
Banglapress
Published: 23 September 2025, 10:25 AM
Bangla Press Desk: Former Bangladesh national team coach AKM Maruful Haque, the country’s only UEFA A-licence holder, has often been one of the most outspoken critics of Bashundhara Kings despite their domestic dominance over the past half decade. Yet, in the recent debate surrounding Kings’ refusal to release players for the national team camp, Maruful has thrown his weight behind the champions’ decision.
Abahani head coach Maruful said: “Bashundhara Kings’ position is lawful (they are not obliged to release players 72 hours before), practical and logical from many perspectives. If it were an official tournament such as an Asian Cup qualifier, then it would have been unreasonable for clubs not to release players. But for two friendly matches, the national team does not need almost a month of training.”
Providing a technical explanation for his support, Maruful added: “National team training is basically match training, whereas clubs are now in pre-season conditioning. If players miss conditioning, they face a major risk of injury during the next seven or eight months of the domestic season. Their fitness and performance will also suffer significantly.”
Despite recognising the risks, Maruful’s own club Abahani released 10 players to the senior and U-23 squads, which has halted their training. He noted: “If the club had asked my opinion, I would certainly have said players must undergo conditioning. Without it, completing a whole season is very difficult. If players spend August training with the national team, play two matches in Nepal and return on 10 September before the domestic season begins on 12 September, where is the opportunity for pre-season preparation? If players get injured or lose fitness midway, it’s the clubs who suffer.”
[Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.]
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