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PREMIER LEAGUE

Team watch: Abahani

Football

SPORTS REPORTER
With only two league titles to show for in the last ten years, it has to be said that things have not gone right for Abahani. The side that had recorded the first hattrick of league championships from 1983 to 1985, has just completed another treble the last season was their third in a row without a major trophy.
After a wretched start to the new season, the signs do not look good for the boys from Dhanmondi, especially after their 4-0 defeat to new-power Brothers Union in the Independence day Gold Cup, the season's curtain raising tournament.
But if you are Abahani, hope springs eternal even after suffering the biggest loss in 30 years. And the Sky Blues are confident of mounting a challenge for the league crown perhaps inspired by a 5-1 demolition of arch rivals Mohammedan Sporting Club in the Federation Cup.
Abahani still failed to reach the final of that competition but warmed up well for the Premier League when they clinched the Independence Day football title last week in Rajshahi where Brothers did not take part and the other hot side Muktijoddha sent only their second string team.
"We've had very good preparations and although we could not pick the players we had in mind before the transfers, we will be in the title race as usual," said coach Amlesh Sen who has been involved with the club since its berth in 1972.
Abahani, who have played 12 matches this season losing three, finished third last year but nine players of that squad have left. The new look side had to concentrate on picking upcoming players after failing to recruit the four Bangladesh internationals it had targeted during the transfers.
"Consistency is the key to winning a league and I believe my players have peaked at the right time. There is very little injury problem and our young players have gelled well with the seniors and the overseas booters," said Amalesh who played for Abahani until 1984 before joining the club's coaching staff.
Abahani have retained skipper Joy, goalkeeper Nizam, striker Ujjal and midfielder Parvez apart from rookie defenders Shawkat and Faisal while their significant signings are national striker Farhad and ex-national defender Pradeep.
"We did not get the desired service from our Chilean and Argentine players in the Independence Day Gold Cup in Dhaka. But Ndem (Cameroon) and Ibrahim (Ghana), who have replaced them, have looked great so far. Ndem is a hard worker while Ibrahim is a skimmer. All we need now is a quality striker who will put an end to our scoring problems.
"The failure of the strikers and lack of matured players in the defence have cost us heavily. But Pradeep's return from suspension has given the backline some depth. So now we have put our effort into getting a specialist striker."
The Abahani team management is still waiting for the doctor's take on the injury of their latest import Cameroonian forward Pouga before they finalise the quota of three foreigners.
The entire team will be built around Joy, arguably the best
defensive midfielder in the country, but Amlesh was worried about a proper replacement. The national midfielder is infamous for his rough tackles and often misses important games through suspension.
"Joy is indispensable. We missed him in the Federation Cup semifinal. The midfield is our main strength and we are hoping that it will cover the gaps in the defence.
"Our target will be to win all the matches against the bottom five teams first," said Amlesh who rated holders Brothers and Muktijoddha as their main oppositions.
"Mohammedan have built a stronger side than us on paper but they have simply failed to show that on the field. Sheikh Russel on the other hand are entirely dependent on their foreigners."
The Sky Blues are set to break away from the trend of awarding the number 10 jersey to only foreign booters. No local player has worn the shirt after the legendary Salahuddin retired in 1984. Farhad is expected to don the prestigious number this season.
Squad: Nizam, Anwarul (goalkeepers), Obaidur, Shipon, Shawkat, Pradeep, Lajuk, Afzal, Ruku, Shamim (defenders), Joy, Parvez, Zahed, Selim, Asif, Ndem, Ripon, Tushar (midfielders), Ibrahim, Farhad, Ujjal, Tipu, Anwar (forwards).