Mahe ‘fully confident’ about scoring goals for Bangladesh
Newly called-up forward Mohammed Mahe Khan on Monday said he is “fully confident” about scoring goals for Bangladesh in the upcoming SAFF Championship.
“I am fully confident. Even before coming to the camp here, I worked very hard personally. So, InshaAllah, I will be able to score goals,” Mahe told the reporters ahead of the national team's first training session at the National Stadium on Monday.
Having worked hard ahead of his first senior national team camp, the 18-year-old was determined to meet head coach Thomas Dooley’s expectations as he competes for the team’s No. 9 role.
“I clearly know what the coach expects from me. On the pitch, I will try to implement the coach's game plan 100 percent, and hopefully, I will score goals,” he said.
The England-based forward also expressed excitement at the prospect of sharing the dressing room with his childhood hero, Hamza Choudhury, whose performances for Leicester City he followed while growing up near the club.
“I am very excited. Since childhood, I have been watching Hamza play for Leicester City, because Leicester is near our home. The person whom I have grown up watching since childhood, now I have got the opportunity to play in the same team with him — it is a huge honour for me,” Mahe said.
Mahe, who plays for Moulton FC in the ninth tier of English football, believes playing alongside Hamza, who has competed at the Premier League, will provide a valuable learning opportunity.
“He has played at the top level of football and he has a lot of experience. I will get the opportunity to learn a lot from him,” he added.
However, Mahe will have to wait to share the pitch with Hamza in Bangladesh's opening match of the upcoming SAFF Championship, as his club Sheffield United have refused to release him before November 8. Bangladesh are set to begin their campaign against Bhutan on the 5th.
Mahe is familiar with Bangladesh's youth setup, having represented the country in the AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualifiers in Uzbekistan. He came off the bench in all three matches during the campaign, where Bangladesh failed to register a single goal.
However, Mahe, who has netted nine goals in seven matches this season for Moulton, remains optimistic about making the transition to senior international football.
“I am extremely proud and happy. At just 18 years old, I have received my first call-up to the senior national team camp. I am proud of myself, and my whole family is also very happy,” he said.
Reflecting on the Under-20 team's difficult campaign in Uzbekistan, Mahe admitted that the side had fallen short of expectations but hoped the experience would help him prepare for the demands of senior international football.
“Now is the time for us to work hard and, Inshallah, we will also win the SAFF title,” he said.