What they said about new coach Thomas Dooley

Following is a brief footballing biography of Bangladesh's new football coach Thomas Dooley, followed by what former players and BFF officials think about this appointment.

Thomas Dooley (65)

Playing career:

The defensive midfielder had a 20-year senior professional career, across USA and Germany where he represented clubs FC Kaiserslautern, Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke 04, wining the Bundesliga and the DFB Pokal, among other accolades.

He played 81 times for USA, including two World Cups, and captained the Stars and Stripes in the 1998 World Cup in France.

Managerial career:

The Germany-born US citizen was deputy to Jurgen Klinsmann in the USA dugout from 2011-2014 later went on to helm national teams like Philippines, and most recently, Guyana.

"Whenever someone new comes in, there will always be criticism and discussion. Coaching is a thankless job. Cabrera had many facilities and support, including foreign-based players, but perhaps he still could not achieve success despite being here for a long time. So now that a new man is coming in, if we support him properly and give him the right environment, then definitely there is potential.”

Former national team player Abdul Gaffar

“What we really need is not necessarily a world-class coach, but someone suited to the level of football we currently play in Asia. More importantly, we need coaches at grassroots level. That’s where our foundation lies. If our basics improve, then the players who reach the national team will naturally perform better.”

Former national team player Rumman Bin Wali Sabbir

“A former World Cup captain, coach of two national teams, someone who played for years in European football and worked alongside a coach like (Jurgen) Klinsmann as assistant coach of the United States -- I believe bringing in a coach of that calibre is a very good achievement and a positive step for Bangladesh football at this moment.”