Friendship Cup Postponed

Organisers yesterday postponed the Friendship Cup football tournament due to the devastation created by Cyclone Sidr in the coastal areas of the country.

With the death toll already rising above 2,000 and millions becoming homeless after the storm tore through the south and southwest region of the country, National Sports Council (NSC) chairman and Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed, who is also the chief patron of the international tournament, has directed the organising committee to temporarily put off the meet. The 5-team tournament was scheduled to be held in Dhaka from November 28-December 10.

General Moeen has also asked the football fraternity of the country to stand beside the destitute.A five-member delegation yesterday met the NSC chairman at the Kurmitola Golf Club with reports of the preparation when general Moeen directed them to call off the event for the sake of the millions of distressed people.

However, he has assured the organisers that he will extend his full support to hold the meet once the situation improved, informed organising committee secretary Badal Roy after the meeting.

"We have to find a suitable time later to organise this," Badal said.

Malaysian Super League runners-up Perak FA, Nepal's Friends Club and Kolkata Mohammedan of India were due to join local sides Abahani and Mohammedan in the first international club tourney of the country in more than five years.

The foreign teams had but completed their preparations to come to Dhaka and even Perak coach Steve Darby had wanted to know the condition of the cyclone-hit areas, informed organising committee joint-secretary Fazlur Rahman Babul yesterday.

"May be these teams won't be available later but we look forward to hold the tournament at a convenient time," said Babul adding that they will soon announce a new date.

Nepal Friends Club Send Squad List

Nepal Investment Bank Ltd Friends Club was the first team to send its squad list for the Friendship Cup football tournament on Thursday.

Most of the 18-member squad have played in Dhaka before. Rakesh Shreshta, Pradip Mahajan, Raju Tamaang, Santosh Sakhaul, Ukesh Shreshta all played for different Dhaka clubs as well as the Nepal national team.

Kolkata Mohammedan, Parek Football Association are the other two overseas clubs who will play in the five-team tournament scheduled to start from November 28.

FCOC Forms 18 Sub-Committees

The Friendship Cup Organising Committee (FCOC) yesterday finalised its 18 sub-committees for the five-team invitational football tournament to begin in Dhaka this month.

Malaysia's Perak FA, Friends Club of Nepal and Kolkata Mohammedan from India will join local giants Abahani and Mohammedan in the November 28-December 10 meet.

Friends Club are expected to be the first foreign team to arrive in Dhaka although the FCOC has yet to confirm flight schedules.

With Abahani due to participate in the Barduloi Trophy in Assam this month, Mohammedan would be the only local team available on the opening day, which may lead the Dhaka heavyweights to face Friends Club in the opening match.

Mohammedan have already started preparation with three guest players - national booters Hassan Al Mamun and Arman Aziz and goalkeeper Aminul Islam of Muktijoddha - training with them under assistant coach Mohammed Panir.

The ex-national custodian took charge in absence of black and whites coach Shafiqul Islam Manik, who will be available from today after conclusion of the FIFA B-Licence Coaching Course yesterday.

The tournament will mark Aminul's comeback to competitive football after the country's number one keeper missed action for the entire last season due to injury.

Mohammedan are also likely to use two Cameroonian booters, Benjamin and Henry, for the event.