Football wizard Samad
In our boyhood, we heard the name of football wizard Syed Abdus Samad (1895-1964), who delighted the sports world of that time with his amazing skills and display. He was known in British Bengal as Magician Samad. He played as a striker. His football career lasted for 23 years from 1915. The government of Bangladesh launched a postage stamp series in his memory.
Samad was selected for the Indian National Team in 1924 and captained the side in 1926. He toured Burma, Ceylon, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Britain. In a match played against China in Peking (now Beijing), he played as a substitute player in the second half and scored four goals in a row to give his side a 4-3 victory after trailing 0-3 in the first half.
At the age of 38, Samad joined the Calcutta Mohammedan Sporting Club in 1933 and played for the club the remaining five years of his soccer career with skill, vigour and devotion.
But how many of us know him? It cannot be that the people of Bangladesh, who are mad for football, will not know football wizard Samad! So, we request the sports ministry and the Bangladesh Text Book Board to incorporate a story of Samad in the syllabus at school and college level, as it was in the past.
Asma Akhter
Rajshahi
Restore traditional jersey
On several occasions, we requested the club management of Dhaka Mohammedan Sporting Club (DMSC) to restore the traditional black and white jersey, which Calcutta Mohammedan Sporting Club still nurtures. When the Calcutta team takes to the field, the black and white jersey reminds the spectators of the past glory of the club, and football as a whole. But when the team from Dhaka enters the field, it takes time to discover the identify of the club let alone brilliant past thereof.
In this regard, we want to remind the club officials that the Brazil Football Confederation has not changed the design of the jersey of the national team despite its poor performance in the World Cup Football after 2002 triumphant. And perhaps that is why the natioal team is getting back its missing glory.
Likewise, it is possible for DMSC to reappear as a great team again if the traditional black and white jersey is brought back.
Will the club officials consider our proposal?
Khurshida Haque
Dhaka
