‘He knows how to finish’: Striker shortage puts Farhan in focus

Bangladesh's shortage of proven strikers has made England-based forward Farhan Ali Wahid an intriguing prospect for head coach Thomas Dooley, who is excited about working with him ahead of the FIFA ASEAN Cup.

“What I love about this guy [Farhan Ali Wahid] is that he knows how to finish. That's perfect,” Dooley told reporters at the Bashudhara Kings Arena in Dhaka today. 

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“So, if he's coming, I really want to see him in front of the goal, making those moves and hitting the ball on target, what a lot of the players don't do.”

Several overseas-based footballers, including Japan-based Shuki Itofusa, England-based Zidane Yousuf and Yousuf Ahmed, and US-based Saif Amir Kerawala, have already joined the ongoing camp. Dooley, however, believes Farhan must adapt to the climate to earn a place in the squad.

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Farhan is currently playing for Boreham Wood FC, having joined the club on loan from Fulham FC U21, and is expected to join the national team in Indonesia before the tournament begins on September 24. 

“If he has problems with the climate and can play only five minutes, he's not a big help,” Dooley said. “I'm looking forward to working with him in Indonesia, where the climate is a little bit better than here.”

Dooley praised Farhan's talent but said he did not see him in the same light as Hamza Chowdhury.

“We have not put him under too much pressure that he needs to be the saviour. I see him as a good, talented player. He has incredible skill. He has to bring it onto the field at the professional level. If he can do that, he will be a great asset for us.”