Frustrated by fumbles by teenage custodian Mehedi Hasan Srabon, Bashundhara Kings team management has directed their players not to pass back to the custodian during matches, according to a club source.
In the absence of their first choice custodian Anisur Rahman Zico, who is serving a disciplinary suspension, Srabon has been the King’s custodian in domestic and international matches.
However, the Kings’ management has lost faith in the rookie goalkeeper after he made many costly blunders in recent games.
During the Kings’ Independence Cup quarterfinal match against the Bangladesh Army Football team on Tuesday, the 18-year-old custodian was unable to control a back pass from a teammate, allowing the opponents to tie the score.
The Kings were then saved by Brazilian forward Dorielton Gomes with a winning strike, propelling them to the semifinals of the season’s curtain raiser tournament.
On November 27, the team’s AFC Cup home match against Maziya S&RC, the novice custodian made another costly error.
In the match, after receiving the ball from a colleague, the Cumilla keeper handed it straight to an opponent forward, allowing the visiting Maldives club to take the lead against the run of play.
With late goals from Boburbek Yuldashev and Miguel Ferreira, the Kings avoided disaster and won the game.
Concerned about their inexperienced custodian ahead of the vital AFC Cup match against Odisha FC, the Kings’ management has now advised their players not to throw the ball to Srabon and has also instructed the custodian to clear the ball rather than try to pass it to a teammate.
Bashundhara Kings are on the verge of making history, as they are just one point away from being the second Bangladeshi team, after Abahani, to qualify for the AFC Cup knockout stage.
Their Indian opponents have also been in terrific goal-scoring form, having won their last three matches while scoring 14 goals.
Kings, on the other hand, received some good news on Monday when their Brazilian skipper Robson Da Silva returned to training after missing the encounter against Maziya S&RC and two Independence Cup matches due to a back-muscle injury suffered against Mohun Bagan Super Giant.
Midfielder Charles Didier has also recovered from his injury and is expected to start against Odisha FC.
On Saturday, the Kings will fly to Bhubaneshwar, India, before facing the local team on December 11 at the Kalinga Stadium.
A draw will be enough for the Kings to advance to the knockout stage of Asia’s second-tier club championship.