‘I proved the coach wrong by scoring’
Mohammad Ibrahim was the hero of Bangladesh’s victory over Bhutan on Thursday. Coming on as a substitute, the forward scored the winner to give Bangladesh a winning start to their SAFF Championship campaign. But his reaction went beyond mere celebration, as he was overcome with emotion after finding the net. The 29-year-old forward, who has spent years moving in and out of the national team, struggling to turn opportunities into regular playing time and dealing with the disappointment of being left out of the squad for the ASEAN Cup, spoke to Daily Waadaa about his journey.
Daily Waadaa: You appeared quite emotional after Bangladesh’s win over Bhutan. You even had tears in your eyes. What made the moment so special?
Mohammad Ibrahim: I have been in and out of the national team for a long time. Sometimes I made the squad, but there were also occasions when I did not get to play despite being selected. After scoring, I started thinking about all those difficult periods. I have been through a lot of hardships in my career. Remembering those moments after the goal made it difficult for me to hold back my emotions.
DW: After the match, head coach Thomas Dooley said he had not expected you to score. How do you view that comment?
MI: I don't really have anything to say about it. Perhaps the coach thought I was not a striker and therefore would not score. He had instructed me to stay in midfield, hold on to the ball and pass it to the teammates ahead of me. Shamit was playing up front, Rakib was on the right and Fahamedul on the left. My job was to supply them with the ball. At one point, I noticed a cross coming towards the box. I thought I could get to it if I made a run into that space. So, I made the run, and fortunately, the ball came to me, and I managed to score.
DW: But you have a fairly good scoring record for your club, don't you?
MI: Yes, that's true. I don't know what the coach had in mind when he made that comment. But it feels good to have proved him wrong by scoring and helping the team win. Now I want to maintain this scoring form.
DW: The national team has been searching for a dependable striker for a while now. The team has brought in expatriates, even right-back Bishwanath Ghosh is being used as a striker. Local forwards, however, have not been given many opportunities in that position. What is your take on this?
MI: Every coach has his own plans. Rakib has also played as a striker in a few matches. Bishwanath is physically strong. Perhaps the coach starts him to tire out the opposition defenders before trying to give us opportunities later in the game.
DW: Is the coach's apparent lack of faith in local forwards having a negative impact on you?
MI: No, nobody in the team is thinking negatively about these things at the moment. We still have three matches ahead of us — the next one against Sri Lanka, followed by the semifinal and the final. Rather than thinking about these issues, our entire focus is on becoming champions. We want to take it one match at a time.
If the coach gets good results by playing Bishwanath, that's fine. If I get an opportunity, I will also try to give my best. The situation could change further when Farhan Ali and Hamza return to the team. Rakib might then have to play in the No.9 position.
DW: You had been in good form since the start of the season, but were left out of the squad for the ASEAN Cup. Did that fuel your determination to prove yourself?
MI: Absolutely. I had been preparing with the SAFF Championship in mind from the very beginning. Since the tournament is being held in Dhaka this time, I wanted to be part of the national team squad from the outset. My target was to perform well in the league so that the coach would have a reason to pick me.
Being left out [of ASEAN Cup] certainly made me more determined. As you know, on the very day I was dropped from the squad, I played a match for my club and scored a goal. Alhamdulillah, I continued to perform well in the following matches. In between, I also played three matches in the AFC Cup. Overall, the coach may have reconsidered me after those performances.
DW: A goal like this must have given your confidence a further boost.
MI: Without a doubt. This goal will help me a lot in performing well in the upcoming matches. I want to maintain my scoring form. It feels good to have helped the team win.
DW: After spending so long moving in and out of the national team, is securing a regular place in the starting XI your target now?
MI: Absolutely. Getting an opportunity in the national team is important, but making the most of it is equally important. I always try to give my best. I want to make the most of every opportunity that comes my way.