Another youth league to begin without a purpose

The BFF Under-18 Football League is set to get underway today in three separate venues with youth squads of nine Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) outfits, who are taking part seemingly just to fulfil a condition and avoid the federation's fine.

The purpose behind the youth team is that all top flight clubs would train and maintain youth teams round the year to strengthen the pipeline and then participate in the junior league with their respective youth teams. However, other than Bashundhara Kings, no other team has an active youth team.

Just like the previous four editions of the competition – the first three being held in a tournament format – all clubs except Bashundhara Kings held trials at the last minute to form a squad for the tournament.

The scheduling of the tournament also reflects the neglect it is receiving from the game's local governing body, as the 36-match-long tournament will be completed in less than a month, forcing the players to risk injuries by playing matches with little rest period in between.

The club officials and coaches said that financial constraint, accommodation problem and an overall lack of a systemic process were the main reasons why they did not have permanent youth squads.

"There is no system in place to develop the professional league and the youth league. The federation is holding the youth league and we are also participating in it, otherwise the federation will fine the club Tk 20 lakh," said Mohammedan SC manager Imtiaz Ahmed Nakib.

Nakib also informed that they formed their squad in less than two weeks by selecting some players from trials, who will join 10-12 players who played for Mohammedan in the 2021-22 season, the last edition of the youth competition.

"I think the clubs can train the junior players round the year if they really want to do it, though there is a crisis of accommodation and financing," Abahani assistant coach Pranotosh Kumar said.

"The young players are leaving the clubs after one-and-half month's training and the competition. The players hardly benefit with this short period of training," he added.

The former national player also thinks that the hectic schedule may hamper the purpose of the league as the players won't get enough time to recover.

Fortis FC manager Rashedul Islam sees the league format a positive change that will give the players an opportunity to play eight matches instead of three to four matches they would otherwise get in the tournament format.

"Some 10-12 junior players have been with our senior team but all of them except one were ruled out in the medical test. So, we conducted a five-day trial with some 400 players to pick 30 players for the league," Rashedul said.

"It could have been better had we provided long-term training to the players but we are under financial crunch."