Thomas Dooley took over as Bangladesh’s coach following Javier Cabrera. The German coach was successful in his first assignment, guiding the team to a 2-1 win over San Marino. Now, he faces a much tougher — or more “real” — test.
The SAFF Championship returns to Bangladesh after eight years, with this edition of the regional tournament set to take place at the National Stadium in Paltan from November 4 to 17. Bangladesh is eager to win the title in this prestigious competition, having last claimed the crown back in 2003.
Whether Bangladesh can secure the coveted title under its new coach remains to be seen. For now, though, Dooley says he’s more focused on shifting the mindset of players like Hamza and Jamal than on the SAFF title itself.
The unveiling ceremony for the 15th SAFF Championship logo was held in Dhaka today, where the Bangladesh coach said, “It’s a very exciting thing — for the players and the coaches. What matters most is playing in the tournament itself, not just friendly matches. A tournament carries far more significance than anything else, and we haven’t had much time to work together and get to know each other, especially on the field. So that’s a bit of a challenge.”
“But the mentality I’ve always had — as a player, and now as a coach — is that I want to win every match, no matter who we’re playing against. If it’s Germany, Brazil, Argentina, or any other team, I want to win. That’s the mindset I carry, and I need to instill that same mindset in the players.”
The Bangladesh coach is also well aware of the team’s upcoming opponents. Bangladesh’s biggest challenge in the tournament will likely come from India, with Nepal also posing a strong threat. On this, the coach said, “We’re not playing against Argentina, Brazil, Germany or England — we’re playing against our neighboring nations, teams that are either slightly behind or slightly ahead of us in the FIFA rankings. The mentality we bring onto the field against them is what matters most.”
Dooley hasn’t been with the Bangladesh team for very long, but he has already praised the fighting spirit shown by Tapu Barman during the win over San Marino. He expressed admiration for the way Bangladesh secured victory on opposing turf and for the resilience Barman displayed on the pitch. The question now is whether Hamza Chowdhury and his teammates can go on to win the title on home soil this time.
