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Old boys feel confident

Booters leave tonight for Myanmar

Football Sports Reporter
The national football team would not be short of confidence when they play in the 3rd Grand Royal Challenge Cup. which kicks off in Myanmar on November 11.
It seems that not winning a single international match in two and a half years' time has had longstanding effect on the players who eventually lost belief that they can really produce a fight against better teams. To add more woes to the wound. Bangladesh's intermittent presence in the international scene has hardly given them chance of recovering.
Although identical 1-0 losses to Mozambique and Myanmar and a 2-2 draw against eventual champions Vietnam won’t count in the record book, this very performance in last month's Merdeka Cup in Malaysia has brought back some confidence into the booters.
Confidence could do many things and with the federation offering more support and facilities to the national team, the trip to Myanmar could play a vital role in their improvement, which is coach Shafiqul Islam's Manik's target to achieve from thesix-nation meet.
Bangladesh, which leave Dhaka tonight for Yangon, are pitted against hosts Myanmar and Indonesia in a tough group and if they manage to get beyond this stage, Manik's boys will face Vietnam, Malaysia or Korean dub Ulsan Hyundai in the semifinal.
It would not be highly ambitious to reach the last four as Yangon previously proved a happy hunting ground for the team, which won a four-national tournament in 1995 beating the home side in the final and finished runners-up in 2005.
However, the higher standard opponents do not make the old boys' of the side that fearful.
"Playing well in the Merdeka Cup has given us a new life. Personally, I have regained the confidence that we can do well. I have seen this in the others, especially the young ones also," told veteran defender Rajani Kanta Barman during yesterday's training session at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.
"We were afraid of names like Mozambique when we were playing in Merdeka Cup. But the latter matches, especially the draw against Vietnam has really given us new hope. It is nowestablished that if we play to our potential, we can do well, even we can beat Myanmar on their home front," added the former Bangladesh captain. "Moreover, this team look more disciplined than the past."
Skipper Matiur Munna, one of the old boys, also believes that
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Bangladesh can win a match this time.
"We are not announcing anything but Myanmar are not much better than us. Indonesia are supposed to be very good, if they bring their number one team, but if we beat the hosts in the opening match (November 11), a place in the semifinals is likely for us," said the attacking midfielder, who had scored one of the most memorable goals for the country, against India in the SAFF Championship semifinal in 2003 in Dhaka, on way to win the trophy.
"We just need to keep up the good work from Malaysia to bring result from this tournament."
Like Rajani and Munna, Alfaz is also nearing the end of a glorious career and he remains the only member of the 1995 side that won Bangladesh's first title abroad under late Monem Munna.
"I want to make my return to the national team permanent. So 1 would be giving my hundred per cent," said Alfaz, who is top scorer with seven goals in the ongoing B. League but was ignored for the Merdeka Cup after being recalled to the national side after more than a year.
"The team look spirited to me and 1 am enjoying the new environ ment of the national team," added the ace striker.