Dhaka, Oct 8 (bdnews24.com) - Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president Kazi Salahuddin thinks the quota for foreign players in professional leagues should be raised.
"Our football stands only to gain if we raise the quota of foreign footballers. Our players will be able to learn many skills if good quality foreign football players play here," Salahuddin said, speaking at his office on Saturday.
"In the last Bangladesh League, the quota was set at five players. Some national players were forced to start in the bench during matches," he said.
"But those players performed better while playing for the country and scored goals for the country, because they learnt something from the foreign players," he added.
The Professional League Committee in its last meeting decided to allow four foreign players.
The former star striker said, "Four foreign players will be allowed to play in the pitch at a time. But why enrolment of more players will not be allowed? A player may get injured anytime."
Some say local players will get fewer chances if foreign players' quota is increased, but Salahuddin defers.
"In our days we had to fight to get chance in the starting eleven. Generally game quality does not improve if there is no competition. As the competition increased, game quality also went up."
Some players argue that low-quality players may come if foreign quota was raised. But Salahuddin said, "If low-quality foreign players come, why should our players not be able to sideline them?"
The former Abahani sharpshooter said a decision on raising foreign-player limit for clubs may come from the next meeting of the Professional League which will be held 'soon'.
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