The Bangladesh national team is currently holding a training camp at the Shamsul Huda Academy in Jashore in preparation for the upcoming AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualifiers. The squad is operating under the guidance of English coach Gerard Jones. However, the camp has been overshadowed by a series of social media posts made by the coach on Monday, which have caused significant stir within the country’s football community.
In his initial Facebook post, Jones alleged that the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) had failed to pay his salary, leaving him in a difficult position regarding his family. Furthermore, he expressed deep concerns about his personal safety, claiming he has faced constant unpleasant incidents and feels a sense of insecurity while living in Bangladesh. In a follow-up post, the coach updated his followers, confirming that he had received his payment from the federation. However, he noted that he encountered unexpected banking complications that were not communicated to him beforehand. Jones described feeling helpless, citing incidents in Dhaka where individuals approached his car, struck it, and demanded money, adding to his growing sense of uncertainty and the difficulty of his daily life in the country.
These public allegations have placed the BFF in an awkward and embarrassing position. Addressing the situation on Monday afternoon, the BFF General Secretary stated that, according to the terms of the contract, the federation is obligated to pay the U-20 coach by the 10th of each month. He confirmed that the funds were transferred to the coach’s bank account as scheduled. The federation expressed disappointment over the coach’s decision to air his grievances on social media, noting that if there were genuine issues, they should have been addressed directly with the BFF to avoid unnecessary public confusion. Gerard Jones, a UEFA ‘A’ license holder, was officially appointed by the BFF last June.
