Lack of matches and excessive workload reasons for Swapna, Choton departures

Assistant coach of Bangladesh Women's football team Mahbubur Rahman Litu has said that the lack of matches and the excessive workload on the coaching team are the reasons why striker Sirat Jahan Swapna and head coach Golam Rabbani Choton has decided to call it quits.

Swapna announced her retirement on Friday through her social media account and Choton followed suit soon after as he confirmed to The Daily Star that he is going to step down from his role.

The women's senior team have not played a single game since winning the SAFF title in 2022.

The BFF had said it would arrange international friendlies against Cambodia and Singapore but failed to stay true to its words.

It has been learnt that Swapna had offers to play in the Indian Super League but could not accept that due to the proposed Bangladesh Women's Super League, the details of which are yet to be ironed out.

"She was a little bit frustrated. We have had no games for eight months. We were supposed to go to Myanmar to play but that didn't happen. The Oman Super League in Bangladesh and the franchise league in India didn't pan out as well. Besides this, she wasn't feeling okay after the surgery and that is why she said she would call it quits," Litu told The Daily Star when he was asked to explain Swapna's retirement.

And as for Choton, Litu revealed that the excessive workload they have to go through caused the successful coach to step down.

"The pressure we have to endure is inhumane. There is excessive pressure. We get up at 4:00 am in the morning and go to Kamalapur by 5:00. Then we have to train three age-level teams. We have to stay in the field almost all day. Choton usually reaches home at 5:30 pm. The load is a lot," Litu explained.

"Firstly, he is not liking the hardships. The second thing is that the perimeter of the work here is vast. On top of that, his name isn't mentioned enough which is why he said that he needs some rest. He has been here since 2006. He also can't give time to his family," he added.

When asked about the financial incentives provided by the BFF, Litu assured that there weren't such issues but he did reveal that the Federation is two months behind on salary payments to the players as well as the coaches.

"There aren't such problems but there is a two-month due in salaries of the girls and the coaches. They (BFF) said they would pay it next week. Usually, the salary is given by the fifth of every month," he said.

Choton's deputy also revealed that the Chairman of the Women's Wing Committee Mahufuza Akter Kiran has made contact with the head coach to convince him to stay.