Shuktara Jubo Sangsad have pinned their hopes on Narayanganj's booters as the newcomers signed up 18 players yesterday, one day before the last date of the month-long players' registration for the professional football league, the B. League.
All the players except striker Saifur Rahman Khokon are dwellers of Narayanganj, a place from whether star booters like Monem Munna, Ashrafuddin Chunnu, Samrat Hossain Emily, Golam Gaus, Zakir Hossain spread lights in national level. And current defenders like Mohammad Sujan, Nazrul Islam, Abdullah Parvez and Abul Hossain are no less remarkable players.
"Our main motivation is that all the players of the squad are from Narayanganj and they know each other closely," said captain Rezaul Karim Liton. "Besides, 13 players of the squad have the experience of playing in the top level football, so it will help us lot."
In the absence of coach Riaz Biswas, captain Liton, who coached the side on their way to become champions in the Club Cup, talked to the reporters and informed them about their target in the season-curtain raising tournament, Federation Cup, as well as the third B. League.
"We are thinking of qualifying for the Super Cup, let alone being relegated from the top-flight. We are also hoping to play the quarterfinals in the Federation Cup as we have been training for almost three months now," said the former Brothers Union playmaker.
The captain believes that his side's major strength is the midfield, consisting of himself, Rintu, Dalim, Hanif Prodhan and the striking duo of Saiful Islam Khokon and Mehdi Hasan Apu, who last season played for Brothers Union.
Muktar Hossain, general secretary of the club, said that they would prefer to go with the local collection in the Federation Cup, but would add three foreign players -- a stopper, a midfielder and a striker -- in the professional football league.
Hossain thought that the charm of the footballers had already disappeared, but the Bangladesh Football Federation's initiative to award three new teams the chance to play in the top-flight would inspire the upcoming players.
Meanwhile, Rahmatganj MFS also signed eight players including two foreign recruits -- Idris Kasriye and Rapheal Sango, who played for Chittagong Mohammedan last season.
SHUKTARA SQUAD
Rashed Chowdhury, Al Amin, Shahidul Islam Dulal, Mohiuddin Ahmed, Kawsar Ahmed Razib, Biplob Das, Robin Hasan, Monir Hossain, Abul Kashem, Rezaul Karim Liton, Zahidul Hasan Dalim, Shahriar Abdullah Rintu, Sujan Ahmed Rizvi, Hanif Prodhan, Mohammad Ullah Dalim, Mohammad Sohel, Mehdi Hasan Tapu and Saiful Islam Khokon.