Ahead of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers match against India, Bangladesh’s national football coach is seeking at least four weeks of preparation time.
Before kicking off the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers against India, Bangladesh coach Javier Cabore wants a four-week preparation period. As in the past, he intends to set up a camp in Saudi Arabia for intensive training. However, he couldn’t confirm when Bangladesh-born English midfielder Hamza Chowdhury would join the camp.
The upcoming FIFA window from March 22 to 30 will feature international matches. Cabore believes that once the window opens, Leicester City will release Hamza, and the 27-year-old midfielder will join the preparation camp for the match against India.
“I’m not sure about the exact start date of the camp yet. I hope it will be in February. Before the match, we definitely need at least four weeks of preparation. As for when Hamza will arrive, I think the authorities can give you the right information. I really don’t know. However, I believe he will come when the FIFA window opens.”
Currently, Cabore’s focus is solely on achieving positive results in the qualifiers. Apart from India, the other teams in Group C, Singapore and Hong Kong, are ahead of Bangladesh. The Spanish coach acknowledges that the road ahead will be tough but believes that if the team plays their best, they will find success.
The first leg of the match against India is scheduled for March 25, and it might take place in Shillong. Cabore doesn’t anticipate difficulties in adjusting to the conditions there, but he is more focused on the importance of intensive preparation in Saudi Arabia.
“Yes, we’ve discussed starting the camp. As in the past, we will try our best to have the camp in Saudi Arabia before the match against India. This has been beneficial for us in the past.”
Recently, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) renewed Cabore’s contract until April 2026. In the meantime, Cabore has been monitoring the ongoing Premier League and Federation Cup matches with the existing coaching staff. He has been impressed by the performances of many local players.
Notably, Bangladesh Police FC’s forward Al Amin has scored five goals in the first eight matches of the league. National team forward Rakib Hossain has scored four goals for his club. Winger Mohammad Ibrahim has shown strong signs of regaining form with two goals. Youngsters Majibur Rahman Johnny and Piyash Ahmed Nova have scored three goals each.
Mohammedan is making a strong impression in the current league. With 24 points from eight matches, they lead the table, while Abahani, without foreign players, is second with 19 points. Cabore sees changes in the domestic football scene as the defending champions, Bashundhara Kings, currently sit in fourth place with 14 points.
“We’ve followed the domestic matches with the local coaching staff. Hasan and Mehdi have followed the Federation Cup matches. I’m happy with the performance of local players from Bashundhara Kings, Mohammedan, Abahani, and even Fortis. I believe they’ve done well.”
“Abahani is playing entirely with local players. Mohammedan leads the league table, which I believe is good for Bangladesh football. It’s true that the football scene here is going through changes, and although Bashundhara Kings’ performance has dropped, I’m happy with the local players’ performances.”
