The Bangladesh Football Federation, led by new president Tabith Awal, perhaps reappointed coach Javier Cabrera with the big dream of progressing beyond the Asian Cup Qualifiers. However, the 40-year-old Spaniard, now in his third stint, has chosen a more of a pragmatic route, focusing on consistent performances rather than lofty expectations.

Bangladesh have been drawn in a relatively easier group in the 2024 Asian Cup Qualifiers, facing India (ranked 126), Hong Kong (155), and Singapore (160 -- a contrast to the 2022 edition, where they were grouped with stronger teams such as Bahrain and Kyrgyzstan. While Cabrera's last campaign saw Bangladesh lose all matches in a centralised venue, this edition will follow a home-and-away format.

"It is a strong group, but not as strong as it was in the 2022 edition. Still… we do think we have options to compete against them and win if we perform, especially at the level we are able to perform at home," Cabrera told reporters at the BFF premises yesterday, after being handed a contract extension till April 2026.

Asked whether there is any plan to uplift the performance of the national team, who had a lean year in 2024, Cabrera said, "Honestly, performance-wise, I am not looking at the results… If you focus on the results, there is always an opportunity to criticise. The truth is that the team were able to perform against very strong teams [like Australia, Palestine and Lebanon] in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, and we were able to maintain that level of performance against Maldives. I am sure we are going to achieve something important from the Asian Cup Qualifiers."

Bangladesh managed only two wins in eight matches in 2024, beating Bhutan and Maldives. Looking ahead, Cabrera plans a four-week training camp, potentially in Saudi Arabia, to prepare for their Asian Cup Qualifiers opener against India in March. He stressed the importance of a match-by-match approach, noting that both the qualifiers and the upcoming SAFF Championship in June will be pivotal for the team.

"It is [going to be] a huge challenge against India, and I am now focused on that," he said.