The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The national booters began practice on Wednesday afternoon, ahead of the 5th SAFF Championship, at the Bangabandhu National Stadium with two new faces included in the squad.

Midfielder Arif Khan Joy, who retired from international football, has been recalled for the SAFF mission along with another defender Nazrul Islam to strengthen the team's central midfield position.

The 5th SAFF Championship will be held on June 3-14, to be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and Maldives. Bangladesh have been placed in Group B with Afghanistan, Bhutan and co-host Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh will play Bhutan on June 4, Afghanistan on June 6 and Sri Lanka on June 8.

Eighteen the initially selected 28 booters have joined the training camp today, while the remaining 10 booters -- Zia, Faisal, Saikat, Pervez, Uzzal, Zahid Hasan, Arman Aziz, Mamun, Mithu and Nazrul -- will join the camp in a day or two.

The booters had some light practice under the supervision of coach Abu Yousuf.

"It's difficult to say right now about our target in the SAFF Championship… our objective will be to win all the matches in the meet," national team coach Abu Yousuf told reporters at the practice venue in the afternoon.

Replying to a question, he said that they recalled Joy to strengthen the midfield position as they found out shortcomings in the midfield during the just concluded AFC Challenge Cup in Kyrgyzstan.

Captain Hasan Al Mamun said that to bring a balance in the team, there is no alternative to senior players.

He, however, stressed the need for playing some practice matches with foreign teams to do well in the SAFF championship.

In the last SAFF meet in Karachi in 2005, Pakistan emerged as champions, while Bangladesh became runners-up.