Not happy with BPL schedule

Kolkata, April 4: Bangladesh football side Abahani Limited Dhaka's Croatian coach Drago Mamic on Monday said he has suggested to the country's authorities to change their league calendar in accordance with the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) club competitions.

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) starts in July every year and ends in December. Abahani Limited Dhaka, who besides being the defending champions have won the league a record five times, lost to Maldives' Maziya Sports & Recreation 0-2 on March 14 in their AFC Cup group E engagement.

Since then, they haven't been in action as there is no ongoing domestic competition at the moment.

Asked if it is a cause of worry ahead of their AFC Cup tie against Mohun Bagan, who have played 18 matches this season with I-League and AFC Cup combined, Mamic replied in the affirmative.

"This is one problem. I just come here and suggested that in Bangladesh the competition (Bangladesh Premier League) must be in accordance with AFC Cup calendar and all competitions of other countries," the former Churchill Brothers coach, who took charge of the team two months back, told reporters on the eve of the match.

"Otherwise, we will be handicapped just because of the schedule," he said.

But the coach added that it's a privilege to represent the club with so much laurels and history.

"You can represent your street and you can have pleasure. This is an honour to represent such a big country and this traditional club," he said.

Both Bagan and Abahani Dhaka are yet to open their account after losing their respective first matches. Bagan lost to hosts Bengaluru FC 2-1.