U-20 coach hotel brawl drama

The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is yet to make a final decision on the future of under-20 head coach Gerard Jones following a physical altercation with his assistant, just days before the team departs for the AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualifiers.

The English coach was involved in a physical fight with assistant coach Atiqur Rahman Mishu at a Dhaka hotel. Following the incident, Jones called the national emergency number, 999, for police assistance. He later posted a video on Facebook stating, "I have been physically attacked at work, I still do not feel safe." He added that he had sent a written complaint and photos of his injuries to the federation but received no support.

Tensions had previously surfaced during a training camp in Jashore, where Jones used social media to complain about unpaid wages and a lack of security.

Although Tuesday afternoon a news comeout from bff that the UEFA 'A' licence holder had been sacked, but a recent BFF meeting failed to reach a conclusion, keeping the decision pending. Jones also denied the dismissal in a video, questioning why people would post false news to destroy team harmony. "I have never faced such an experience in my football career. But hopefully, I will laugh about it in ten years," he said.

BFF technical committee chairman Kamrul Hasan Hilton addressed the situation, confirming a breach of discipline. "What has appeared in the media or on social media is fifty per cent true and fifty per cent false," Hilton told reporters. "An incident has occurred and discipline has been breached. The BFF will certainly take action."

When asked about the coach's continuous videos and safety claims damaging the image of local football, Hilton said any final action requires time. "Our team is departing on the evening of 27 August. The team selection and coaching panel are already finalised. We will definitely take action, but it will take a little time and discussion," he explained.

Amid the crisis, the federation cancelled Tuesday's official pre-departure press conference at the last minute, citing "unavoidable circumstances." The tournament in Uzbekistan is scheduled to begin on 31 August. If Jones is removed or suspended before then, Hilton clarified that any coach with a minimum 'A' licence can stand in the dugout for age-level teams, unlike the senior national side which strictly requires a Pro licence.