‘Expectations high’ as Hamza urges stronger collective mindset

Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury believes Bangladesh can secure a home win against Hong Kong, China in their Asian Cup Qualifier on October 9, provided the players show greater self-belief.

The 28-year-old, who arrived in Dhaka on Monday with his family, is set to make his third appearance for Bangladesh after featuring against India and Singapore. Since joining the squad, Hamza has been working closely with coach Javier Cabrera, who has emphasised defensive organisation and quick transitions in attack.

"The coach is the one who take big decisions. He asked me how I can help the team by using my experience," Hamza said yesterday after his second training session at the National Stadium.

"But every game is different, the opponents are different, so we need to have a different mindset... Hong Kong are a different challenge, but we need to stick to the game plan."

Reflecting on the 2-1 defeat to Singapore, he admitted the team "let themselves down" with two sloppy goals and missed chances, including a possible penalty. He also expressed regret for missing a key opportunity but promised to bounce back.

"I felt really bad after missing… but that's football. I'll take my chances next time. In my heart, my expectations are very high, and I think I can deliver."

Still, Hamza remained upbeat. "The last thing we need is to increase our self-belief because the boys are hard-workers, talented and aggressive." He added, "The biggest thing for us, especially as a nation, is to stick together."

Asked about comparisons with Lionel Messi as Bangladesh's biggest star, he laughed off the notion. "Even if Messi played for Bangladesh, we'd still have the troubles of trying to get the tactics right and building the team spirit.

"Football is never about one person, especially not me."