'Golden chance to bring the trophy home again'
After years as the unofficial leader of Bangladesh’s backline, Topu Barman will lead the team out as captain on Thursday, as the hosts begin their bid to win the SAFF title after 23 years against Bhutan at the National Stadium in Dhaka. On Tuesday, just two days before the match, Topu spoke to Daily Waadaa about the team’s preparation, the lessons from the ASEAN Cup defeats and why he believes this is the perfect time to lift the trophy. The excerpts from the interview are as follows:
Daily Waadaa: Bangladesh begin their SAFF campaign against Bhutan on Thursday. With the inclusion of expatriate players like Hamza Choudhury and Shamit Shome, do you feel this is the ideal time for Bangladesh to win SAFF at home after 23 years?
Topu Barman: Everything considered, I would definitely say this is the perfect time. A golden chance to bring the trophy home again after 23 years has come our way. We last played SAFF at home in 2018. After almost eight years, we are getting the chance to play on our own ground again. It all feels very positive to me. Our team is much stronger this time than last time. Since Hamza and Shamit Shome arrived, the team’s morale and confidence have grown a lot.
DW: Bangladesh’s strength has grown, but India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have also progressed. Even though India has sent a second-string team, how much of a challenge are you expecting in the tournament?
TB: There will definitely be many challenges. SAFF is by no means an easy tournament. You have to think carefully and do a lot of calculation. You have to work on the opposition. That is how we are preparing.
Sri Lanka and Pakistan in particular have done well recently. In the Asian Cup qualifiers, Pakistan came back to level against the Philippines after trailing by two goals. They also scored two against Thailand. That is not easy. Pakistan and Sri Lanka both took nine points in the Asian Cup qualifiers, which is also a big achievement.
It’s being said that India hasn’t sent its main team, but they have players who have played against teams like Brazil and Uruguay. So, we are not taking any opponent lightly, especially in a tournament like SAFF, where we have to be even more careful. We have to take it match by match and win.
DW: After three straight defeats in the ASEAN Cup, has the team’s confidence been affected? You missed the tournament due to injury. But those who took part and conceded nine in the last game against Indonesia, how do you think that experience will affect them in SAFF?
TB: The ASEAN Cup is a regional competition for South-East Asian teams. The standards of the sides over there are quite high. Still, I believe, having played on a big stage will help us a lot in SAFF. We have learned how to approach such strong teams in the future and what tactics to use against them.
We know the teams in the SAFF region well. We also have an idea of their players’ abilities and their style of play. All in all, we are going into SAFF having taken a good lesson. As a team, we have to be more focused this time, especially on how to play together.
In football, there is always a second chance. If you could not do something the first time, you get the chance to do it the second time. We have got that chance very quickly. Now we have to use it. Everyone has one thing in mind: we have to win.
DW: There is not much room for a second chance in SAFF. There are only two group-stage matches. If you make a mistake or drop points in one match, the path to the semifinals becomes hard. Doesn’t that create extra pressure?
TB: I don’t want to get into calculations right now. Our big match is against Sri Lanka, on the 11th. I hope we will have a full-strength side in that match, especially with Hamza and Farhan Ali joining us. But all our focus right now is on the Bhutan match. If you can win the first match in a tournament, new paths open up ahead. The players’ confidence also grows. That is why the first match is very important to me.
DW: How challenging do you find the Bhutan team?
TB: In SAFF, you can’t really predict how a team will in advance. Even teams that are not favourites, can play brilliant football here.
DW: In SAFF 2023, Bangladesh conceded early against Bhutan. How will you handle it if that happens again?
TB: Yes, but after conceding first, we scored three goals. A situation like that could arise this time too. We might score first, or we might concede. But if we concede, our aim will be to recover from it. We have an idea about the opposition players. We also know how they like to play. If we can go out with those things in mind, I believe we can come back with a win. The win is very important for us.
DW: Sri Lanka have recently added several expatriate players. You must have analysed them. Do you see them as a contender for the title?
TB: We have not played against Sri Lanka for many years. The last time was in 2021, when we went to Sri Lanka and played a four-nation tournament. The current Sri Lanka side is definitely stronger than that team. They have included several expatriate players. The team is improving day by day, and their ranking has also gone up.
But our team is also much stronger than before. There is a big difference between the team of two or three years ago and the current one. A lot has changed. All in all, we will find out who is the best on the 11th. I think it will be a hard-fought match against Sri Lanka. They will try to give their best, and we will try to give our best too.
Playing on our own ground in particular, with a stadium full of spectators, we will get support from the fans. We have got it before, and we will get it this time too. All in all, we are positive. We want a good result, and that result is becoming SAFF champions.
DW: For years, you have been a mainstay as a centre-back for the national team. In your absence, the backline looked unsettled in the ASEAN Cup. Do you feel your return will boost the confidence of the defenders?
TB: I missed the team a lot myself. On the very last day of the ASEAN Cup camp, September 18, I went home. The next day, on the 19th, the team left the country. Every player on our team has faith in me. The coach also trusts me. In the same way, I also have faith in everyone.
Guiding the defenders in particular will be part of my responsibility. I will share my experience with them during matches about what to do in different situations. I will try to support the whole team from the back, on how to play to get the best result for the team.
In training too, I am always talking with the defenders, discussing what we need to do. If I can explain these things to them well, the team will certainly benefit.
DW: After a recent exhibition match between the SAFF 2003 and SA Games 2010 winning Bangladesh players, the former footballers spoke optimistically about the team’s chances this time. Have they passed any message to you and the other players?
TB: They want us to use this opportunity, not let it slip away. They have said that they have faith in the current team.