Sheikh Morsalin, one of Bangladesh football’s emerging talents, has struggled to earn a spot in the Bashundhara Kings starting XI this season, having not played a game for the club since December 11.
The 19-year-old attacker came in as a substitute in their 1-0 loss to Odisha FC in the AFC Cup, and he has been sitting out since.
Morsalin was not even included in Kings’ past three Bangladesh Premier League matches, raising concerns about the club’s future plans for the potential striker.
Bangladesh coach Javier Cabrera challenged his top student to compete for a spot in the Kings team and playing eleven.
“He [Morsalin] needs to fight,” Cabrera told reporters on Sunday at the BFF House, after returning to work after vacation.
“He plays in a highly competitive team with several high-level foreigners in his position. He’s a young child, and he has to learn that he has to battle and compete hard to get into the lineup,” he said.
Morsalin and two of his Bangladesh colleagues, Tapu Barman and Anisur Rahman Zico, were among the five players fined by the Kings for disciplinary reasons last year.
Tapu and Zico have returned to play after the club reduced their bans. Cabrera was pleased to see them return and stated they will be considered for Bangladesh’s forthcoming World Cup Qualifier matches against Palestine and Lebanon in March.
“It’s nice to have them back. They have been important players for us for many years. “Now that they’re back, everyone has an equal chance of getting the opportunity,” added the Spaniard.
Bangladesh’s three qualification opponents, Palestine, Lebanon, and Australia, are currently participating in the AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Bangladesh’s next two qualification matches are against Palestine, with the first at home on March 21 and the second away on March 26.
Cabrera wants a camp in Saudi Arabia, similar to the one they had last year, before to the home match with Palestine.
“The previous camp in Saudi Arabia had been fantastic for us. We were able to establish a foundation for the remainder of the year. This year, we aim to accomplish something similar to previous year.”