Saifur Rahman Moni (Bengali: সাইফুর রহমান মনি; born 2 February 1981) is a former Bangladeshi professional football coach and former player who currently serves as the head coach of Bangladesh Premier League club Chittagong Abahani.[1]

Saifur Rahman
Personal information
Full name Saifur Rahman Moni
Date of birth (1981-02-02) 2 February 1981 (age 43)
Place of birth Brahmanbaria, Bangladesh
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
Chittagong Abahani (head coach)
Youth career
1994–1996 BKSP
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1998 Fakirerpool YMC
1999–2000 Farashganj SC
2000Chittagong Abahani (loan)
2000–2002 Rahmatganj MFS
2001–2002Chittagong Abahani (loan)
2002–2011 Muktijoddha Sangsad
International career
1998 Bangladesh U19
1998–2007 Bangladesh 17 (0)
Managerial career
2022 AFC Uttara
2022 Saif SC Jr.
2022–2023 Gopalganj SC
2023 Bangladesh U16
2024 Sheikh Jamal DC (caretaker)
2024– Chittagong Abahani
Medal record
Representing  Bangladesh
Men's football
SAFF Championship
Winner 2003 Bangladesh
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life

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Moni was born in Ashuganj, a town in the Brahmanbaria District of Chittagong Division.[2]

Playing career

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Club

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Moni joined Farashganj SC in 1999, where he formed a lethal partnership with forward Rokonuzzaman Kanchan. He was joint top scorer in the 2000 National Football League with 3 goals for Chittagong Abahani. In 2001, Moni scored 6 goals as his club, Rahmatganj MFS, finished third in the Dhaka Premier Division League.[3]

In 2002, Moni joined Muktijoddha Sangsad KC and later helped the club win the 2003 National Football League title with 6 goals including one in the final against Mohammedan SC.[4] In the Dhaka Premier Division League, Moni regularly captained the Freedom Fighters who at the time were one of the strongest in the league, led by their striking duo of Moni and Kanchan.[5][6]

With 7 goals, Moni was the highest goalscorer at the 2004 National Football League.[7][8] During the tournament he also scored four goals in a 7–1 demolition of Panchagarh Brothers Union.[9] In the same year, he scored in the Federation Cup final against Mohammedan SC in a 2–1 victory.[7] Moni also won the 2004 Chittagong League with Chittagong Mohammedan SC.[10][11] On 20 April 2004, Moni scored against Yemeni club Al Sha'ab Ibb at the 2004 AFC Cup, and although Muktijoddha lost the game 2–3, Moni became the first Bangladeshi player to score a goal in the AFC Cup.[12]

On 17 May 2005, Moni underwent a successful knee operation in New Delhi, India, after he tore a ligament during the Federation Cup semifinal against Mohammedan on April 28 of that year.[13] The injury lead to him missing more than six weeks of the football season for Muktijoddha.[14] Moni returned to the football and represented the Dhaka University football team, scoring a hat-trick against Jahangirnagar University in the Education zone play-offs of the 2006 National Football Championship.[15]

On 17 March 2007, Moni scored the lone goal as Muktijoddha defeated Mohammedan to secure their first ever victory in the B.League.[16] He remained with the club despite its financial woes prior to the 2009–10 Bangladesh League.[17]

International career

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Moni spent his youth career at Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP) and was called up to the Bangladesh U16 in 1996, for the 1996 AFC U-16 Championship qualifiers. However, he did not play a single game during the qualifiers. In 1998, senior national team coach Abu Yusuf selected him for the Bangladesh national team, for two friendly games against Qatar and Qatar U23. Moni was also part of the Bangladesh team that won the 2003 SAFF Gold Cup on home soil.[18] Moni played for the Bangladesh B team at the 2007 Merdeka Tournament, under coach Hasanuzzaman Khan Bablu. During the tournament he scored against Zimbabwe in a 1–2 defeat.[19] He last appeared for the main national team on 28 October 2007, when Bangladesh suffered a 0–5 tharshing at the hands of Tajikistan.

Coaching career

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AFC Uttara

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In February 2022, Moni got his first coaching job at AFC Uttara. The club had been given direct entry to the 2021–22 Bangladesh Championship League after meeting all the required criteria needed to participate in the second-tier, and Moni's inaugural match as coach, ended with a 3–0 victory over Kawran Bazar PS.

On 27 March 2022, Moni resigned from head coach duty and filed Match fixing allegations against the club's players and officials. He stated "I am very doubtful whether our matches number 7 and 8 in the championship league were played legally or not. So I don't want to involve myself in any work against the rules". The club's final two games under Moni, against Uttara FC (1–2) and Farashganj SC (3–1) were investigated by the Bangladesh Football Federation disciplinary committee and surprisingly even after all the allegations against them and match footage evidence they were declared innocent and given clearance to participate in the Bangladesh Premier League; as they had earned promotion the same season.[20][21]

Saif SC Youth Team

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In June 2022, Moni took charge of Saif SC Youth Team, who would take part in the Dhaka Second Division League, which is the fourth-tier of Bangladeshi football. Initially he was involved in player selection process alongside ex-national team midfielder Shahedul Alam Shahed.[22] Moni's future at the club was uncertain even before the season began, as Saif Sporting Club pulled out of all sorts of footballing activities.[23] Nonetheless, the club's Youth team were permitted to participate in the 2021–22 Dhaka Second Division League by the Bangladesh Football Federation and the Metropolitan Football League.[24]

Moni's first game as the club's head coach ended in a 2–1 victory over Alamgir Somaj Kallayan, on 19 August 2022.[25][26] Saif qualified for the Super League round as group champions, with 5 wins and 3 draws from 8 games. Integral to Moni's success were strikers Jubayer Ahmed and Noor Alam Siddik.In the Super League round, Moni's side were undefeated with 6 wins and 1 draw from 7 games, earning them promotion to the Dhaka Senior Division League as champions. The club were also the best defensive team in the league, conceding only 6 goals in 15 games. This was also Moni's first trophy as head coach of a club.[27][28]

Gopalganj SC

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In December 2022, following the conclusion of the Dhaka Second Division League, Moni secured an immediate return to the Bangladesh Championship League by joining Gopalganj Sporting Club. He guided the club to promotion to the Bangladesh Premier League by finishing third, as the runners-up BFF Elite Academy were ineligible for promotion.[29] He departed the club after Gopalganj withdrew its name from the 2023–24 Bangladesh Premier League due to financial issues.[30]

Bangladesh U16

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In August 2023, Moni was appointed as the head coach of Bangladesh national under-16 team for the 2023 SAFF U-16 Championship, held in Bhutan.[31]

Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club

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On 15 January 2024, Moni was appointed caretaker cum assistant coach of Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, during the absence of head coach, Marjan Sekulovski.[32] On 30 January 2024, Moni resigned from his post after Sekulovski officially departed the club. Moni stated that he was promised to serve as an assistant to a foreign coach after his stint as caretaker would end, however, the club failed to keep their word with the appointment of Zulfiker Mahmud Mintu as head coach.[33]

Career statistics

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International apps

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As of 28 October 2007.
Bangladesh
Year Apps Goals
2000 2 0
2001 7 0
2003 3 0
2006 3 0
2007 2 0
Total 17 0

Managerial statistics

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As of 1 July 2024
Team From To P W D L GS GA %W
AFC Uttara 20 February 2022 27 March 2022 8 3 4 1 10 4 037.50
Saif SC Youth Team 15 June 2022 21 December 2022 15 11 4 0 23 6 073.33
Gopalganj SC 21 December 2022 October 2023 20 11 1 8 33 27 055.00
Bangladesh U16 August 2023 September 2023 4 2 0 2 3 4 050.00
Sheikh Jamal DC (caretaker) 15 January 2024 30 January 2024 3 2 0 1 6 4 066.67
Chittagong Abahani 1 November 2024 Present 0 0 0 0 0 0 !

Honours

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Player

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Muktijoddha Sangsad KC

Bangladesh

Individual

  • 2000 − National Football League top scorer
  • 2003 − National Football League top scorer
  • 2004 − National Football League top scorer

Manager

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Saif SC Youth Team

References

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  1. ^ "শেখ জামাল ছাড়লেন কোচ সেকুলোভস্কি". Jugantor. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  2. ^ "'Tournament should continue with more incentive provided to academies'". The Daily Star. 2024-05-18. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
  3. ^ "Bangladesh 2001/02". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  4. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 4 Num 102". archive.thedailystar.net. September 6, 2003. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  5. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 4 Num 213". archive.thedailystar.net. December 31, 2003. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  6. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 4 Num 205". archive.thedailystar.net. December 23, 2003. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Bangladesh 2004". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  8. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 106". archive.thedailystar.net. September 8, 2004. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  9. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 77". archive.thedailystar.net. August 12, 2004. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  10. ^ "Bangladesh 2003/04". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  11. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 37". archive.thedailystar.net. July 3, 2004. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  12. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 4 Num 318". archive.thedailystar.net. April 21, 2004. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  13. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 332". archive.thedailystar.net. May 5, 2005. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  14. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 346". archive.thedailystar.net. May 19, 2005. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  15. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 767". archive.thedailystar.net. July 24, 2006. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  16. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 994". archive.thedailystar.net. March 18, 2007. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  17. ^ "Muktis alive & kicking". The Daily Star. August 26, 2009. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  18. ^ "Booters meet 2003 champs". The Daily Star. September 1, 2018.
  19. ^ "একই সময়ে দুই দেশে খেলেছিল 'বাংলাদেশ'". Prothomalo (in Bengali). 16 April 2020.
  20. ^ "ঢাকার ফুটবলে ম্যাচ পাতানোর বিস্ফোরক অভিযোগ তুলে কোচের পদত্যাগ". Prothomalo (in Bengali). 31 March 2022.
  21. ^ "Two clubs found guilty while one acquitted". The Daily Star. September 9, 2022.
  22. ^ "সেই আলোচিত কোচ মনির ভাবনায় এখন সাইফ যুব দল". dhakapost.com (in Bengali). 6 June 2022.
  23. ^ "Saif SC's hands tied by income disparity". The Daily Star. August 4, 2022.
  24. ^ "প্রিমিয়ার লিগ থেকে সরলেও দ্বিতীয় বিভাগে খেলবে সাইফের যুবদল (ভিডিও)". Channel 24 (in Bengali).
  25. ^ "দ্বিতীয় বিভাগ ফুটবল লিগে সাইফ স্পোর্টিং ও কদমতলা সংসদ জিতেছে". footballbangladesh.com (in Bengali). Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  26. ^ Hossain, Farhad (25 August 2022). "সাইফ যুব দলের আবারো জয়". vinnobarta.com. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  27. ^ "2nd Div Football: Saif SC Youth team emerge champions". The Daily Observer. 20 December 2022.
  28. ^ "দ্বিতীয় বিভাগ ফুটবল লিগে চ্যাম্পিয়ন সাইফের যুবদল". offsidebangladesh.com (in Bengali). December 20, 2022.
  29. ^ "কোনো দলেই শান্তি পাইনি". www.kalerkantho.com (in Bengali). April 29, 2023.
  30. ^ "Gopalganj SC withdraws from BPL". New Age. 18 October 2023. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  31. ^ "বাংলাদেশ অনুর্ধ্ব-১৬ দল ঘোষণা; দলে স্কাইলার্কের দুই ফুটবলার". offsidebangladesh.com (in Bengali). August 29, 2023.
  32. ^ "শেখ জামালের নতুন সহকারী কোচ মনি". banglanews24.com (in Bengali). January 15, 2024. Archived from the original on 28 January 2024.
  33. ^ "শেখ জামালে মিন্টু আসলেন, মনি ছাড়লেন". Dhaka Post (in Bengali). January 30, 2024. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024.
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