Newcomers to the country’s top-flight football hardly ever found success in their debut seasons, that is until Bashundhara Kings surprisingly broke the trend by lifting the Independence Cup title last Wednesday after enjoying success at two other tournament finals within one month.

After professional football was introduced in 2007, clubs like Team BJMC, Feni Soccer, Beanibazar SC, Shuktara SC, Sheikh Jamal DC and Saif SC were gradually introduced to the top-flight but aside from Sheikh Jamal none of the other teams could shine during their debut seasons. With this win, however, Bashundhara Kings made a strong first impression.

Bashundhara Kings got their start in the 2015 Dhaka Pioneer Football League, finishing third in that tournament to qualify for the third division. However, they were directly promoted to a second-tier professional football league -- the Bangladesh Championship League -- where they became the unbeaten champions in 2017 to qualify for the Bangladesh Premier League.

By being crowned champions of this year’s Independence Cup, the big-spending side brought home their first-ever big trophy, surely easing their dissatisfaction at not being able to clinch the title of season’s curtain-raising tournament -- the Federation Cup -- a month ago. However, achieving this feat was no easy task for Bashundhara, who previously had no experience of playing at this level.

“When we started forming the squad in the start of season, we wanted to win all trophies this season, thus we formed a strong squad with the inclusion of good local players as well as quality foreign players including a world cupper -- Daniel Colindres.

“Unfortunately, we could not win the Federation Cup but we won the Independence Cup. It is a huge sorrow not to win Federation Cup, which had been a qualifying tournament for the AFC Cup. The only recipe for Bashundhara Kings’ success was the hard work of the players,” Bashundhara Kings president Imrul Hasan said. “Our new target will be to win the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League so that we can qualify for the 2020 Asia Cup.”

“There has generally been a gap between the players and the club officials in our country but we well with the players and listen to all their problems and try to solve it cordially. All the credit goes to the players,” informed Hasan.

Midfielder Masuk Mia Jonny echoed the sentiment. “The club management had a key role behind this success because they took everything professionally. They have set up a gymnasium for us, ensuring uninterrupted training facilities at own ground.

“Actually the players have been determined and committed to deliver a trophy to Bashundhara Kings who spent a lot to form the squad and we, national players, are also eager to perform at the club level after performing well for the national football team,” said Jonny over the phone from Sylhet.

The players were given a 10-day vacation period following the triumph and are expected to reassemble on January 7 before beginning their preparations for the Bangladesh Premier League, which will likely get underway after January 15.

Team manager BA Jubair Nipu informed that the team will be accorded a reception when the team regroups in Dhaka with the presence of Bashundhara Group chairman Abdus Sobhan, who is expected to make a special announcement for the players.

Nipu also informed that they dedicated the trophy to the deceased wife and daughter of Sheikh Russel KC’s Sohel Rana, both of whom died in a road accident last month.