Three days in, coach Cox sees promise in Bangladesh U-20s

Irish coach Mark Cox has begun shaping his understanding of the Bangladesh U-20 football squad after three days of training, ahead of their departure for the Maldives on March 21 for the SAFF U-20 Championship.

Last edition’s runners-up Bangladesh open their campaign against Pakistan on March 24, before facing defending champions India in their final Group B match on March 28. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals.

“I’ve been with this group now for three days. I had done some research on a few of the players and, by speaking with my coaches, I’ve also developed a good understanding of them,” Cox said in a video message shared by the Bangladesh Football Federation after yesterday's training at the National Stadium in Dhaka.

Cox highlighted the potential within the squad, while underlining the need for greater cohesion and tactical awareness. “There is a lot of potential within Bangladeshi footballers. They play well as a team, but we need to bring them together more. They are technically sound, and now we need to give them better tactical understanding,” he said.

He also pointed to the importance of building the team beyond physical attributes. “Physically, they are naturally fit, but I want to see how they blend socially and psychologically. That’s crucial for a team. It’s about giving them that extra 10 percent they need to compete at international level.”

The squad has also been bolstered by five overseas-based players -- US-based Ronan Sullivan, Declan Sullivan, Farzad Aftab and Amir Sami, along with UK-based Ibrahim Nawaz -- who have been training alongside the 28 home-based players.

Defender Moltazin Alam Himel believes the team is already benefiting from the new coach’s approach. “Training has been good. We’ve worked hard over the last three days with a focus on the March 24 match,” he said.

“The coach is guiding us on what to do and how to prepare through high-intensity sessions. We are getting ready for our first match against Pakistan,” Himel added.