In a departure from standard sporting protocol, the Bangladesh U-20 football team held a press event ahead of their departure for the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers without the presence of any players, the head coach, or the assistant coach. The team left for Uzbekistan on Thursday night to compete in the tournament, which begins on August 31. During the brief, last-minute media session organized by the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), only team manager Samid Kashem and Technical Director Saiful Bari Titu were available to address the press.
The absence of the team members has sparked significant discussion, largely due to recent internal turmoil involving head coach Gerard Jones. The English coach recently made headlines after voicing complaints regarding his salary and alleging a lack of personal security. Tensions escalated further when an altercation reportedly occurred between Jones and his assistant coach, leading Jones to contact the 999 emergency service to request police assistance. An investigation into this incident is currently ongoing, which team manager Samid Kashem cited as the primary reason for shielding the staff from media scrutiny.
Addressing the controversy, Kashem stated that the decision to keep the coaching staff away from the media was made to ensure the team’s focus remained undisturbed during a sensitive period. While acknowledging that the absence of the team was not the standard practice and expressing his regret as manager, Kashem insisted that the internal friction has not compromised the squad’s morale. He maintained that the players are training well and remain united in their objective to qualify for the tournament’s main stage. Despite the off-field drama, Jones remains optimistic about the team’s performance in a challenging group that includes hosts Uzbekistan, India, and Syria.
