Titu joins women's football team as head coach

Saiful Bari Titu has been appointed the head coach of the Bangladesh Women's national football team for September's Asian Games, women's wing chairman of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Mahfuza Akter Kiran confirmed on Wednesday.

The appointment comes after long-serving coach Golam Rabbani Choton resigned in late May citing personal reasons. His resignation letter was accepted by BFF in early July.

Titu will act as interim coach till the Asian Games as Kiran said that the federation is looking to appoint a foreign coach from Japan or South Korea.

"Today we called on Saiful Bari Titu and appointed him as the head coach of the national women's team for the Asian Games," Kiran said.

"We have been going through a bad time without a head coach for a long time. Paul [Smalley] also left his job but we have two important competitions – Asian Games for the senior team and the AFC U-17 Women's Championship for the women's football team in September," she added.

As for the U-17 Women's team heading for the AFC Championship, Mahabubur Rahman Litu will be acting as the head coach, Kiran added.

Kiran said that the federation has been in search of a permanent coach from Japan and Korea for the women's team and hoped they could finalise an appointment after they get the profiles of the potential candidates.

Titu, who has previous experience working with the men's national team, said he sees his new job as a challenge as he had never worked with the women's team before.

"Today BFF president Kazi Salahuddin bhai called on to take the responsibility of the national women's team for the Asian Games and I agreed to take over though the contract details are expected to be finalised within a couple of days," said AFC A licensed coach Titu.

"I had conducted an AFC C license course for the women in which the participants like Sabina, and Mirona participated and that was my lone involvement with the women's footballers," said Titu. "I think the Women's football team have been in a structure as Choton and Paul worked with them for a long time."

"There is no difference to coaching whether it's with the men's team or the women's team but I think the women are more disciplined and hard-working. Once I start working with them, I will be able to understand what I need to work on."