Khandoker Wasim Iqbal

Wasim Iqbal
Personal information
Full name Khandoker Wasim Iqbal
Date of birth (1961-11-21) 21 November 1961 (age 63)
Place of birth Dacca, East Pakistan (present-day Dhaka, Bangladesh)[1]
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Right winger
Youth career
1978–1979 Brothers Union (Youth Team)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1979–1987 Brothers Union
1987–1988 East Bengal
1988–1990 Dhaka Abahani
1990–1992 Brothers Union
International career
1980 Bangladesh U19
1982–1990 Bangladesh 51[2] (8)
Managerial career
Brothers Union U19
2008–2011 Brothers Union
2013 Sheikh Jamal DC
2016 City United
2017 Little Friends Club
Medal record
Representing  Bangladesh
South Asian Games
Silver medal – second place 1984
Silver medal – second place 1985
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Khandoker Wasim Iqbal (Bengali: খন্দকার ওয়াসিম ইকবাল; born 21 November 1961) is a retired Bangladeshi football player and coach. He mainly played as a right winger, and was one of the most recognised players during the early years of Bangladeshi football. He was a prominent member of the Bangladesh national football team during the majority of the 80s.[3]

Club career

Wasim's career began with his local club Brothers Union's youth team, with whom he took part in the Pioneer League. During his time with the youth team, Wasim managed to impress the club's captain Shahiduddin Ahmed Selim and was promoted to the senior team, within a year. Under the legendary Brothers coach Abdul Gafur Baloch, Wasim made his Dhaka League debut against Dhaka Wanderers. He started his career as a striker, but was soon converted to an out an out right winger in a 4-2-4 system and in his debut season of 1979, he scored in a 1–0 victory over Mohammedan SC. In 1984 he was named the club's captain.[4]

Wasim's career with the Oranges saw him win the Federation Cup in 1980 and the Aga Khan Gold Cup in 1982. The late 70s and early 80s was the golden era for Brothers Union as their academy setup produced national team players like Hasanuzzaman Bablu, Mohammed Mohsin and the ever-dependable Wasim himself, whose technical ability was not something many local players had at the time.[5] During Brothers' Aga Khan Gold Cup triumph in 1982, Wasim scored as the club routed the Oman national football team 3–1. He was a guest player during Mohammedan SC's Ashis-Jabbar Shield Tournament victory in India.[6]

One of Wasim's most forgettable moments occurred during the 1985 Dhaka League deciding match against Abahani Krira Chakra. With Brothers needing a win to claim their first league title, they soon took a two-goal lead against their rivals. Furthermore, Wasim found himself in a one-on-one situation with Abahani's Sri Lankan goalkeeper, Chandrashir; however, his miss saw Abahani win the game 3–2, ending Wasim's hope for a first league title with his boyhood club.[7]

Soon, Wasim attracted interest from overseas and ended up joining Kolkata based Indian giants SC East Bengal in 1987. During his stint in India, he participated in both the Calcutta League and Rovers Cup. After winning the Calcutta League, Wasim returned to Bangladesh by joining Abahani Krira Chakra. He spent two years at the club winning the Dhaka League in 1989 and also India's Sait Nagjee Trophy, with Wasim assisting Sheikh Mohammad Aslam's winning goal in the final. Wasim also represented Mohammedan as a guest player during the J.C. Guha Memorial Trophy in India. In 1990, he scored the only goal as Abahani defeated India's Mohun Bagan in the Azmiri Begum Gold Cup final in Feni. He also represented Brothers in the first round of the 1992–93 Asian Club Championship.[6]

International career

In 1980, Wasim played for the Bangladesh U-19 team and soon became a member for the senior national team, making his official debut during the 1982 Quaid-e-Azam, in Pakistan. Wasim regularly featured for the Bangladesh national team from 1982 to 1990, and captained the side at the 1984 South Asian Games in Nepal, and again at the 1987 South Asian Games in India.[6] One of his most memorable matches for the national side came during the 1984 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers against the Philippines, when he almost single-handedly won the match for Bangladesh with his two solo goals in the first half.[8]

On 8 March 1989, Wasim scored his last goal for the country, during what's considered to be one of Bangladesh's best ever performances in international football, thrashing Thailand 3–1 at the 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[9] Before the start of the 1989 South Asian Games, coach Nasser Hejazi dropped many regular faces including Wasim. It was suspected that as Wasim played for Abahani Limited Dhaka at the time, the Mohammedan SC coach Hejazi did not want him in the team.[10]

International goals

Scores and results list Bangladesh's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 18 February 1982 Pakistan, Karachi  Pakistan 1–1 1–2[11] 1982 Quaid-e-Azam International Cup
2. 13 August 1984 Sriwedari Stadium, Solo, Thailand Philippines Philippines 1–0 3–2 1984 AFC Asian Cup qualification
3. 3–1
4. 21 September 1984 Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu, Nepal Nepal Nepal 5–0 1984 South Asian Games
5.
6. 23 December 1985 Dhaka, Bangladesh Maldives Maldives 8–0[12] 1985 South Asian Games
7.
8. 8 March 1989 Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh Thailand Thailand 1–0 3–1 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification

International goals for club

Brothers Union

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 14 January 1982 Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh Oman Oman 1–0[13] 3–1 1982 Aga Khan Gold Cup

Style of play

Wasim dominated the domestic football scene in the 80s in the colors of Brothers Union with his deft dodges, speed, lethal crosses and stunning goals. He was mainly known for his dribbles and is considered to be the best dribbler of the ball Bangladesh ever produced.[14]

Managerial career

After retiring, Wasim started his coaching career with his former club Brothers Union's under 19 team and later went on to manage the senior team for three years.[15] In 2013, he took charge of Sheikh Jamal DC for the Bangladesh Super Cup.[16]

He later focused on grassroots, coaching with United City in the Third Division League and Little Friends Club in the Second Division League.[17]

In October 2021, he became the general manager of Sheikh Russel KC in the Bangladesh Premier League.[18]

In March 2022, Wasim was dismissed from the general manager post of Sheikh Russel KC.[19]

Personal life

Wasim studied in Ramakrishna Mission High School, which is where he learned how to play football, due to his father's persistence. During the peak of his career Wasim appeared in the movie Johnny Ustad, where he acted alongside film stars like Zafar Iqbal and Anju Ghosh.[20][21]

Honours

Brothers Union

Mohammedan SC

  • Ashis-Jabbar Shield Tournament (India): 1982

East Bengal Club

Abahani Limited Dhaka

Bangladesh

Awards and accolades

References

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  2. ^ বাফুফের কাছে নেই আন্তর্জাতিক ম্যাচের হিসাব!. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  3. ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Wasim Iqbal". www.national-football-teams.com. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Bangladesh football, the glorious days of Brothers Union". Weekly Blitz. 21 August 2021. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  5. ^ "ফুটবলের মাঠ থেকে সিনেমার হিরো". RTV Online (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  6. ^ a b c "ফুটবল মাঠই নয় রূপালী পর্দাও কাঁপিয়েছেন ওয়াসিম ইকবাল". Jagonews24 (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  7. ^ "ডিফেন্ডারদের ডজ দিয়ে বেরিয়ে যাওয়ার সময় দারুণ লাগত". Kalerkantho (in Bengali). 29 November 2013. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
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  12. ^ "স্মৃতি তুমি বেদনা…বাংলাদেশ-৮-মালদ্বীপ-০". Kiron's Sports Desk (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
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  15. ^ Sadi, Al Musabbir (23 July 2008). "Wasim's new challenge". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  16. ^ "'ফিরেছি, থাকব কি না জানি না'". Prothomalo (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 28 July 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  17. ^ "'নবীনদের কিছু শেখাতে পেরেছি'". Prothomalo (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 4 March 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  18. ^ "লিগে ব্রাদার্স না থাকলেও থাকছেন সেই ওয়াসিম ইকবাল" (in Bengali). 2 October 2021. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  19. ^ "চাকরি হারালেন সাইফুল বারী". Prothomalo (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
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  22. ^ "CA for dynamic sports arena". archive.thedailystar.net. Archived from the original on 18 December 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2022.