DHAKA, July 20, 2019 (BSS) – Khaled Mahmud Sujon insisted that Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) should give the local coaches an opportunity at the highest level to prove their mettle.
He said this is the high time that the board should start believing the local coaches, who have been working successfully with various franchisees of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), alongside the foreign coaches.
BPL is a Bangladeshi T20 tournament where foreign players and the coaches remain the integral part.
Mahmud, who had accepted the role on the interim basis at the request of the board for Bangladesh’s three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka did not hide his disappointment for not providing him the role of head coach on a long term basis.
Mahmud earlier insisted he is willing to quit as BCB director to avoid conflict of interest if BCB gives him the role of head coach.
“Akram bhai is cricket operations chairman of the board and he told me that I am assigned for the tour as the interim. I said, I can’t do it but they just wanted me for a short period,” Mahmud told reporters.
”It is tough to make a plan for a short period. This is crisis moment for the board and we are not finding anyone for coaching management and so I’m doing it for the sake of board and cricket because I have been working with the team for the last five years,” he added.
”Helping the team is my responsibility. I was manager, it is different responsibility now because I work from the field and my profession is coaching. This is a matter of pleasure and challenging at the same time,” he said.
When asked whether he insisted promoting local coach during the BCB meeting, Mahmud said he did that more than once but it went into the deaf ears.
”I do that [insisting to promote local coaches]. I have that right to give my opinion. I always give my opinion. But I am no one to take the decision. The decision will be taken with everyone’s opinion. And we have a panel for selecting a coach. They might think too. Until they are confident about it, it will be difficult,” he said.
”If you see, I worked as an interim before and I had only one chance. But that experience was not good either. Then I never got the opportunity again. Salahuddin worked before that. I, too worked with Jamie Siddons as assistant. So it’s not like we do not have experience with the national team. Actually we need an opportunity.
“If you see, when Steve Rhodes came, his beginning was not that smooth. But if you see his record, he has better winning record. You have to give proper chance so that he can progress with plans. Every coach has some natural preference, he feels confident on someone… so there are many things,” he said.
Mahmud added that he did not apply for the head coach post after BCB had put up an advertisement in the online with the deadline ending on July 18 and indicated he was reluctant knowing the mindset of the BCB high-ups.
”I did not apply on July 18. Board wants an overseas coach… actually we appoint foreign coach in every department. Board is not that confident on our locals. But I think I’m capable for the job. This is not a rocket science to guide a team. Usually you have to complete level 3-4, I completed level 3 in 2006/07. And it’s not like we were idle after doing that. We worked in the ground,” he said.
”Techniques are fixed in cricket. Everyone plays the square cuts in the same way. In swing or out swing, everyone do it in similar way. This is a fixed technique game. What is important is your planning that is what matter here and as I am from this country, played in these same grounds it will be easier for me to make plan,” he said.