German hockey coach Oliver Kurtz has been sitting idle in the capital for the last two days as an his appointment as Bangladesh national team's head coach has stalled over a row between the Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) and one of its vice presidents.

The national team's preliminary squad started its training camp at the BKSP yesterday as part of their preparation of March's Hockey World League Round-2, and the German coach was supposed to take charge of the camp on Thursday, but he has refrained himself as the agreement is yet to be signed.

In his absence, BKSP's athletics coach Abdullah Hel Kafi conducted endurance training session on Friday with 28 players, with Rasel Mahmud Jimmy, Mohammad Khorshedur Rahman and Pushkor Khisa Mimo missing the first day's training.

It has been learnt that BHF vice-president Shafiullah Al Munir, who had earlier signed a deal with Kurtz on behalf of his business enterprise during Bangladesh's AHF Cup campaign, wants to sign the coach again under his company's name, bypassing the federation. The federation officials, however, want the agreement signed between the coach and the federation.

“The standing committee will sit for a meeting tomorrow [Saturday] to discuss about the agreement of Kurtz and as soon as we take a decision, Kurtz will take charge of the squad,” BHF general secretary Abdus Sadeque told The Daily Star yesterday.

“Previously Kurtz had signed a contract with Mr Munir but this time the coach will pen the deal with the federation and Munir is likely to sponsor the coach. He [Kurtz] can't be the coach of a company, he must be under the federation. However, it is good for the federation if he [Munir] provides money for the coach,” said Sadeque adding that they would arrange the coach's salary if Munir doesn't provide it.