Trial, error and absurdity

In less than 24 hours since the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) staged its dramatic unveiling of Thomas Dooley as the new head coach of the national men’s team, the appointment has already descended into uncertainty -- exposing, yet again, the confusion and short-termism that continue to reflect recurring issues in Bangladesh football.

On Friday night, the BFF presented Dooley with all the theatrics of a marquee arrival. After weeks of speculation, talks of high-profile European candidates and promises of an extensive recruitment process involving more than 270 CVs, the federation finally revealed the German-born American coach.

By Saturday afternoon, however, State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque effectively suggested the appointment was not even final.

Speaking at an AFC Grassroots Football Day event in the capital, the former national team captain and goalkeeper said Bangladesh’s upcoming friendly against San Marino on June 5 would serve as a “test” for Dooley.

“In my opinion, considering the current context of Bangladesh football, we should evaluate the coach on a trial basis first,” Aminul said. “I have already told the BFF president that they should continue searching in case an even better option becomes available in future and can be brought in quickly.”

And with those comments, the entire spectacle surrounding Dooley’s appointment suddenly looked even more bizarre. 

What exactly was the point of a month-long recruitment drive, public build-up, and flashy unveiling if the coach himself is apparently still under evaluation?

Asked to clarify BFF’s position following the sports minister’s comments, BFF president Tabith Awal avoided directly addressing the issue. “BFF is fully following its norms and international process. We sincerely cannot and do not comment on anyone else's comments, nor can we give clarification on such matters. We thank everyone for support and faith on us,” Tabith said.

At a crucial juncture when Bangladesh, with players like Hamza Choudhury in their ranks, needed a clear sense of direction for the long run, a trial-basis coach appointment seems counterproductive and, to say the least, misleading.

When the BFF finally moved on from Javier Cabrera after four underwhelming years, the message from the federation was clear: Bangladesh needed a coach of pedigree and a project built with long-term ambitions. It was even suggested that the next coach would be appointed on at least a two-year deal.

Even Dooley himself, upon his appointment, spoke ambitiously about wanting to take Bangladesh “inside 160” in the FIFA rankings. For a side currently ranked 181st in the world, that is not a target achievable through a one-off friendly or a short-term experiment.

For Dooley to publicly speak of improving Bangladesh by more than 20 places in the FIFA rankings, only for his role to apparently remain uncertain within a day, reflects a complete lack of clarity behind the appointment itself.

The irony is that the former US skipper was already facing scepticism from sections of supporters, as it had become clear he was not the BFF’s first-choice candidate. The federation had explored bigger names such as Chris Coleman and Bernd Storck and even sought financial backing from the sports ministry in pursuit of them. 

Eventually, however, Bangladesh turned to the former Philippines and Guyana coach -- someone with respectable experience but a profile far less glamorous than the expectations initially created.

Dooley is expected to begin training the national team today, ahead of a landmark friendly against San Marino -- Bangladesh’s first-ever match against European opposition on European soil. If this truly is a “trial”, the entire situation borders on the absurd. A new coach would be expected to assemble a squad, implement ideas, and deliver results in less than two weeks, all while his own future remains unclear.

Ultimately, this entire episode says less about the new coach and more about the condition of Bangladesh football itself. The awkward situation that has been created portrays an image of Bangladesh football that would be less appealing for those with established pedigree.