Cabrera gets one-year extension

Javier Cabrera has been handed one-year extension on his contract as head coach of Bangladesh national football team, said a statement from Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) on Wednesday.

The one-year extension means the Spaniard will be in charge of the team till December 2023. Cabrera guided the national team in eight international matches, managing a win against Cambodia while drawing against Mongolia and Indonesia. The team, in this period, lost against Maldives, Nepal, Bahrain, Malaysia and Turkmenistan.

"Having reviewed different things and discussing with him (Cabrera), the National Teams Committee last month decided to renew his contract for one more year. We have already signed the agreement," BFF vice-president and NTC chairman Kazi Nabil Ahmed said in a video message.

"We have a lot of important engagements this year including different qualifiers and matches of FIFA window. We have also engagements of the national U-23 team. So, we are hoping to maintain the preparation of the national team amid the ongoing premier football league and federation cup."

The 38-year-old coach was ecstatic with the contract extension.

"It is a very happy and exciting moment for me to have the opportunity and keep in touch with a fantastic group of footballers," Cabrera said in a video message sent by the BFF.

"I want to thank BFF president Kazi Salahuddin and NTC chairman Kazi Nabil and technical director Paul Smalley for giving me the chance to be in charge of the team for one more year," Cabrera said. "We will have the first assignment in the March. Hopefully we will play two games at home."