‘Farhan will be best in South Asia in 10 years’: Sri Lanka coach makes bold prediction on Bangladesh prodigy

Sri Lanka head coach Abdullah Al Mutairi has made a bold prediction about Bangladesh's Farhaan Ali Wahid, saying he will be the best in the sub-continent if he gets opportunities.

The Kuwaiti coach made the remark at the end of Sri Lanka’s pre-tournament press conference in Dhaka on Wednesday.

“My favourite player is Farhaan. I believe he will be the best player in all of South Asia in the next 10 years, if he gets the chance to play,” Mutairi said.

He also jokingly threatened a one-year suspension for any of his players who try to take the 19-year-old winger's shirt when the sides meet in the SAFF Championship on November 11.

“I have told my players, in the Sri Lanka-Bangladesh match, Farhaan’s jersey is for me. If any player tries to take it, I will suspend him for one year,” Mutairi said. “Hamza Choudhury’s jersey, they can fight over it. It’s up to them.”

Farhaan, who plays for Boreham Wood FC – a fifth-tier club in England – on loan from Fulham, made his international debut in Bangladesh’s 3-0 ASEAN Cup defeat to Malaysia on September 25. He was taken off at half-time, and couldn’t make a positive first impression.

Bangladesh coach Thomas Dooley responded sharply to the hype around the player after that game. “Show me what wonderful things ‘wonderboy’ Farhaan did in the match,” he told Banglatribune. “Instead of talking, they should show what they can do on the pitch!”

Dooley has been more measured elsewhere. Before the ASEAN Cup he called Farhaan “a good, talented player” with “incredible skill”, and said he “has to bring it onto the field at the professional level”.

Farhaan will miss Bangladesh’s opener against Bhutan on Thursday. Captain Topu Barman said he hopes to have him and Hamza back for the Sri Lanka game.

Mutairi named Bangladesh as the tournament favourites. “If you speak about the home ground and the fans, Bangladesh is the favourite,” he said.

He ranked India and Pakistan next and played down his own side’s chances. “Sri Lanka, for me, I think there is no chance,” he said. “Sri Lanka are only here to complete the competition.”

Mutairi said his target is to qualify for the Asia Cup in 2032.