Hamza Chowdhury, currently playing on loan at Sheffield United, has high hopes of shining in the Bangladesh jersey for an extended period.
A bustling press conference, with hardly any space left, set the scene. Hamza’s face reflected an unusual excitement. The defensive midfielder, who is waiting to wear Bangladesh’s red and green jersey, answered questions with a calm and confident tone. He shared his optimism about the upcoming India match and revealed his desire to play for Bangladesh for a long time.
On March 25, Bangladesh will face India in the third round of the Asian Cup qualifiers. This match, in Shillong, will mark Hamza’s debut in the Bangladesh jersey. It will also be the first time an English Premier League player will be seen wearing the red and green colors.
Since Hamza’s decision to play for his motherland, waves of excitement have swept across the country. From arriving in Habiganj, joining the national team’s camp in Dhaka, to Wednesday’s press conference, Hamza has witnessed the football fans’ fervor and their expectations.
However, the rising expectations do not seem to be putting pressure on him. When asked if the pressure of Bangladesh’s victories and defeats would affect him, he immediately responded with a firm “no.”
“No, I don’t think so. At the end of the day, we’re playing a football match, and anything can happen. The coach has said he’s already prepared, and I’m here to contribute whatever I can to the team. I don’t feel any pressure; I feel a lot of love. From my side, I’ll try to help the team improve as much as possible.”
“I don’t have any expectations for myself. However, I’m very optimistic and excited. The coach has talked about it for several weeks, showing us many video clips, the team’s tactical approach, and the way we attack, which has amazed me. I hope I can contribute to the team. I have no expectations. I come from a different league, playing a different style of football.”
“These guys, like Jamal, the team captain, have a lot of international experience and have been here for a long time. I can learn a lot from them. As I said, Inshallah, we will be successful, and we want to take it one step at a time.”
Hamza is confident about coach Javier Cabrera’s tactics. He has learned about the coach’s philosophy and feels ready to help the team. Although there has been talk about a lack of preparatory matches before the India match, Hamza believes the team has prepared well.
“I’m very confident (about the coach’s tactics). Like I said, the coach showed me many video clips of how the team plays. He shared his thoughts with me. I’m eager to be part of it and help the team.”
(Regarding not having a friendly match) “I believe the coach and the president know best. Their decisions are for the team’s benefit. Like you said, there was excitement. Behind the scenes, the team is working hard. Maybe it was good that I took the spotlight off them. You’ll see how hard they’ve worked and how well they’re doing on the 25th.”
Hamza has previously tasted success with smaller teams, winning the FA Cup with Leicester City. He also witnessed the fairytale Premier League title win. Like Bangladesh, which is still a newcomer in global football, Hamza believes that, just like Leicester, Bangladesh will rise in the future.
“Yes, there’s a lot in common (between Leicester City and Bangladesh). Of course, when the time comes, I’ll share my experience and story. As I said, Leicester’s story is different. But as a nation, we are strong, and we also have potential. We can achieve something, but we need to work hard and follow the process. There’s no rush. Inshallah, I’ll play for Bangladesh for many years. There’s definitely a lot of similarity in this story.”
Hamza had the opportunity to wait for a chance to play for England, but he ultimately chose Bangladesh. He shared the story behind his decision at the press conference.
“Yes, I always thought about playing for Bangladesh. I discussed it with my family. But when it came to making the decision, I spoke to my family, and they are the most important to me. They pulled me to play for Bangladesh (smiling).”
“There were several reasons why I chose this option. When the new president Tabith Awal met me and shared his plans, I spoke with the coach. I saw there is a good system in place here. The team wants to be successful with a great organization. I knew it would be comfortable for me to come here and play with my family. So, I joined the national team for this journey. The coach and president have given me a lot of confidence.”
