http://newagebd.com/newspaper1/sports/22361.html
Staff Correspondent
Bangladesh football coach Robert Rubcic has made a formal complaint to FIFA against the Bangladesh Football Federation over his unpaid salaries, officials said on Monday.
Rubcic left Dhaka on June 2 without informing the BFF officials as he was not paid his salaries for four months as well as well as his food and lodging costs.
The BFF initially played down the event saying he had left for an urgent family reason and should return soon.
Though none of the federation officials was aware of his departure, the BFF vice-president and chairman of the national team management committee, Badal Roy, who was in Zurich to attend the FIFA congress, claimed upon his return that Rubcic had obtained permission from him.
However, it became crystal clear within a few days that there was no family matter involved in his departure and the coach was clearly unhappy with the way he was treated by the BFF.
The BFF also tried to sell a story that the coach has left the country as he was afraid of travelling to Pakistan for the return leg of World Cup qualifier, scheduled for July 3 in Lahore.
As Rubcic did not maintain any contact, the federation turned to his agent, who also failed to give any solution to the crisis. The agent is said to have been able to only make a contact with the coach’s wife and son.
Sources said the FIFA in letter asked the BFF to explain everything about Rubcic after they had received a complaint from the Croat. The BFF was preparing a reply, said the sources.
The BFF also started looking for a possible replacement, who they could name in a day or two. A few candidates were identified through the agents, said Hasanuzzaman Khan Bablu, a member of the national team management committee.
‘Yes, we could not pay him for several months as we were in a financial crisis but he should have asked us for his salary,’ said Bablu. ‘He cannot leave the country without informing us. He has violated the agreement in doing this.’ he said.
‘We have already talked to some agents who sent us names of some interested candidates from Russia, Serbia, Brazil and Macedonia,’ he said.
‘We can even get the coach before our Pakistan game,’ added Bablu, himself a former national coach.
Rubcic’s contract with the BFF expires in September this year.