Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF)  reappointed  Paul Smalley of England as the national Technical Director for two years on Wednesday (June 1)  for its technical department.

His tenure will start in the middle of August like the two other Englishmen -- national football team head coach Jamie Day and assistant coach Stuart Watkiss.

Paul Smalley was reappointed for the post as per the recommendation of BFF technical committee and as well as the written consent of majority BFF members.

Of the 21 member BFF Executive Committee, 15 members gave their consent in favour of Paul, four opposed his candidature and the rest two were refrained from giving their consent.

Paul Smalley left the BFF job on October 20 last year after completion of his three-year contract as the Federation  didn’t extend his contract due to his demand of a higher salary.

Smalley, who had later joined The National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam after BFF, but was keen to return to his old workplace in Bangladesh.

"I am excited to be given the opportunity to join the Federation again as I really enjoyed my time previously. The president rekindled my desire by a passionate vision and plan to continue the development of football in Bangladesh" .Paul Smalley was quoted in a BFF media release.

BFF president Kazi Salahuddin also welcomed his return.

"We are excited and pleased to have Paul back with the Federation. Paul is an experienced and modern technical director and enjoyed a successful time previously with us."said BFF boss Kazi Salahuddin.

During his previous tenure, Smalley mostly worked with the women’s age-group teams and conducted some coaching courses but failed to make any notable contribution to the national team.

Rahima Khatun, mother of former national footballer cum former BFF member Abdul Gaffar, passed away on Wednesday at Shomorita hospital in the capital. She was 85.

She left behind five sons, three daughter and large number of admirers to mourn her death. 

Rahima Khatun breathed her last at about 1:20 am on Wednesday. She was undergoing treatment at the  ICU of the hospital with serious injury after falling down from the bed two days back. 

Abdul Gaffar, also a former DCC councilor, played for Dhaka Abahani, Dhaka Mohammedan and  Dhaka Wanderers Club, apart from national team.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Sports Journalists Association (BSJA) condoled the death of Rahima Khatun.

The Head Coach of the Bangladesh National  Football Team Jamie Day said that his target is to play positive football to earn some points from their next four Joint Qualifiers matches of the FIFA World Cup 2022 and AFC Asian Cup 2023.

As per the new schedule proposed by AFC, Bangladesh will host Afghanistan India and Oman on October 8, November 12 and 17 respectively while they will meet the  Asian champions Qatar in their lone away match on October 13.

"We have four tough games in FIFA, AFC joint qualifiers in October and November. We have to be positive. We are looking forward to collect some points from those matches," Jamie Day said in an online zoom press-conference on Thursday, arranged by Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).

"But, first of all we have to get back players and make them fit during the preparation camp. They have been off-field for a long time in the pandemic situation,” he added.

"I was really looking forward to work with BFF again in the future. I’m delighted to have agreed new great deal. It was a really good two years in our first period. I really enjoyed the last two years here, enjoyed some good games. Now, I get back with the boys in camp, getting them fit and ready for the games. BFF decided to call up 44 players, we don’t need so many players for the camp. I will shortlist to 30 to 35 after my arrival,’’ he further said.

"It’s not enough to make players fit with six to eight weeks. But we have better facilities and skilled coaching staff, then we can get some good results. We’ll play our first match against Afghanistan. Most of their players play different European leagues, but I’m not sure whether they are playing matches at this moment. However, we have three home matches, so we will have supporters in the pitch. It will motivate players and help us to secure some points,” the 40-year-old English man said.

League is a guideline for players. But they have not been in the league. So, we need to play some practice matches during our camps. It will be very useful for them. But if it isn’t possible, we will play matches among ourselves split into two teams. Bashundhara Kings will have AFC matches at the same time. They may not release their players that time. BFF need to talk with them,” Coach ended. 

Jamie Day became the longest-serving foreign head coach of the national team as BFF extended his contract on Tuesday (June 16) for two years from mid of August 2020 to mid of August 2022.

It was the third time that BFF renewed his tenure after appointing the 40-year-old English man as the coach of the national team and U-23 team in May in 2018.

Earlier, Bangladesh started their campaign in FIFA and AFC joint qualifiers with a 0-1 defeat against Afghanistan in the first match in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe on September 10, conceded a 0-2 goals defeat against Asian champions Qatar in the second match in Dhaka on October 10, played to a 1-1 draw against India in their third match in Kolkata on October 15 and conceded 1-4 goals defeat against Oman in the fourth match at the Seeb Sports Stadium in Al Seeb city of Oman on November 14 last year.   

In the five-team Group E, Qatar is now leading the point table with 13 points from five matches while Bangladesh are at the bottom place with one point from four matches. Among others, Oman secured 12, Afghanistan 4 and India 3 points.                 

National team played a total of 19 international matches while the U-23 team played 11 under his coaching. National side won 8, drew 2 and conceded 9 defeats while U-23 won 3, drew 2 and conceded 6 defeats. 

“Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) will hold a residential camp for the national team  next  August. The decision was taken in a virtual meeting of BFF National Teams Committee, headed by its chairman and BFF vice-president Kazi Nabil Ahmed MP, on Wednesday at 12 pm. Deputy chairman of committee and BFF vice-president Tabith Awal, BFF General Secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag, Anwarul Haq Helal, manager of national team Satyajit Das Rupu, technical director Stuart Paul Watkiss and Imtiaz Hamid Sabuj were also present there.

BFF decided to initially call 44 booters and coaching staffs at the first week of August, who will be isolated for 10 to 15 days and undergo a COVID-19 test before starting the camp. After that, some 30 to 35 booters will be shortlisted for the final camp which is expected to kick-off at the mid of August.

The isolation training camp will be held at a safe venue in Dhaka or outside of the city. National booters have been off-field for a long time, so that BFF will try to arrange some practice matches against foreign teams at foreign soil as a part of the preparation for booters.

World football body FIFA has advised Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) not to hold its elections until the coronavirus situation in Bangladesh improves.

"We’ve received a letter from FIFA on Tuesday and they wanted to know about the annual general meeting (AGM) and election of BFF. They wrote it won't be wise to hold elections until the health, sanitation and Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh improves. FIFA also advised us to keep them updated about BFF AGM and elections," BFF General Secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag said Wednesday.

Earlier, the BFF postponed its much talked about elections on March 27 as its incumbent executive committee members and the delegates raised voice against BFF's intention to hold elections on April 20 amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Later, FIFA extended the tenure of the present BFF executive committee, which had expired on April 30, till elections are held and advised them to hold the elections when the coronavirus situation in Bangladesh improved.

Although the BFF postponed its elections in March, but they continued the election procedure by preparing final voter lists on June 7.

It is assumed that FIFA’s instructions came in wake of the BFF vice presidents Badal Roy and Mohiuddin Ahmed Mohi's letter to FIFA complaining some irregularities in voter list.

Both Roy and Mohi also requested the game's governing body to take necessary steps to defer the upcoming BFF polls till the country's coronavirus situation fully improved.

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) extended the contract of their national football team's English Head Coach Jamie Day for two years. 

As per the new deal, Jamie will coach Bangladesh national team till August 2022.

In an immediate video message after signing the contract, the 40-year-old English coach said, “I've agreed to start a new deal with Bangladesh National (football) team for two years as head coach. I'm really looking forward to working with BFF again in the future."

"Obviously, I’m excited to see the game back in the field and to work with the national team players. We’ve four tough games in Octoer and November next, but when we really looking forward and we can’t wait long to get back the game with the boys in camp, getting them fit and ready for the games. So, it’s an exciting year. I’m delighted to agree to make a new great deal and hopefully, we can get the ball rolling, get the players back in concentrate and try to have a really good year with results," he added.

Earlier, the BFF appointed Jamie Day as the head coach of Bangladesh national football team and Bangladesh U-23 football team in May 2018 and Stuart Watkiss as the assistant coach in June in 2018. Later, assigned him (Jamie) as the technical director for three months till February this year.  

National football team played 19 international matches under Jamie Day from May 2018 to January 2019. The men in red and green (Bangladesh) won 8, drew 2 and conceded 9 defeats.  

The 40-year-old British Coach started his managerial career with English Club Welling United where he worked as player -- manager from November  2009 to December 2014. 

Later, Jamie Day worked for Ebbsfleet United as a manager from December 2014 to April 2015 and for Forest Green Rovers as an assistant manager from May 2015 to May 2016, for Braintree Town as a manager from May 2016 to September 2016 and returned to Welling United as a first team coach and later as manager from November 2016 to January 2017. 

Jamie Day also worked for Gillingham as first team coach from January 2017 to September 2017 and worked for Barrow as assistant manager from February 2018 to May 2018.