Sheikh Russel KC

Sheikh Russel KC (Bengali: শেখ রাসেল ক্রীড়া চক্র) is a professional football club based in Dhaka, Bangladesh.^[2] Founded in 1995, the club currently competes in the Bangladesh Premier League. They won Federation Cup in 2012, which is club's first major title. The club also won their maiden Bangladesh Premier League title in the season 2012–13. Sayem Sobhan Anvir, managing director of Bashundhara Group, is the chairman of Sheikh Russel KC.^[3] The club was based at the Sylhet District Stadium until 2021 when they moved to their present home venue, the Bashundhara Kings Arena.^[4]

Sheikh Russel KC

Full name	Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra
Founded	1995; 29 years ago (1995)
Ground	Bashundhara Kings Arena
Capacity	14,000[1]
President	Sayem Sobhan Anvir
Head coach	Jugoslav Trenchovski
League	Bangladesh Premier League
2023–24	BPL, 6th of 10
Website	https://www.sheikhrussel.club/
Home colours Away colours
Current season

History

Emergence

Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra was established in 1995 and named after Sheikh Russel, son of former President of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.^[5] The founder was Shahjahan Kabir, and striker Shofiqur Rahman Titu was appointed as the team's first ever captain in 1996. The club started its journey in 1996 with the Pioneer Football League. Then in 1998 the team became runners-up in the Dhaka Third Division and were promoted to the Dhaka Second Division, under the coaching of Wazed Gazi.

In 2002, Sheikh Russel KC became runners-up in the Dhaka First Division (second Tier). In their first appearance in top-flight football in 2003–04 season, Sheikh Russel stunned traditional powerhouses like Abahani, Mohammedan and Muktijoddha Sangsad to finish second in the top-tier at the time, the Premier Division Football League. Since then, despite playing in the country's first professional top-tier league, the Bangladesh Premier League regularly, Sheikh Russel did not get the expected success until the start of the next decade.^[6]

Treble win and drought

In the 2012–13 season, Sheikh Russel KC got its highest success by winning the domestic treble, under the guidance of local coach Maruful Haque. Sheikh Russel defeated Sheikh Jamal DC 2–1 in extra time of the Federation Cup final to win a title for the first time its history. They then went on to win the 2013 Independence Cup final, 3–2 against Sheikh Jamal. They completed the treble by again edging Sheikh Jamal DC, this time to the 2012–13 Bangladesh Premier League. The team captained by goalkeeper Biplob Bhattacharjee, only conceded 14 goals in league, while Haitian playmaker Sony Norde, was the lethal, scoring 16 league goals.^[7]

Since their treble winning season, the club has failed to win another trophy finishing runners-up in multiple tournaments and were also knocked out of the AFC Cup qualifiers twice.^[8][9][10] They were also defeated by Mohammedan SC in the 2013 Super Cup final.^[11] However, the team did manage to reach the semi-finals of the 2014 AFC President's Cup.^[12]

On 9 January 2015, the managing director of Bashundhara Group, Sayem Sobhan Anvir was appointed as the club's new chairman. He assured that the club would be back challenging for titles once more.^[13] However, the club's further investment all went in vain as they failed to produce results on the pitch the following seasons.

On 20 April 2017, Sheikh Russel KC were fined 2000 Swiss Francs by FIFA over contract disputes with a player and a coach.^[14]

Attempt to rebuild

In October 2018, veteran coach Saiful Bari Titu was appointed as the club's head coach. In 2020, Sheikh Russel were one of the four clubs from Bangladesh to attain AFC Cup licensing.^[15] Russel spent heavily the next three years signing several national team players alongside expensive foreign recruits, however, the club found themselves fighting for relegation, leading to Titu's dismissal after three and a half years of service to the club, in March 2022.^[16][17]

Current squad

As of 29 March 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  BAN Mitul Marma (captain) 2 DF  BAN Shahin Ahammad 3 DF  BAN Abid Ahmed 4 DF  BAN Shawkat Russel 5 DF  NGA Ganiu Ogungbe 6 MF  BAN Emon Babu (vice-captain) 7 MF  BAN Shahidul Islam Sumon 8 MF  JPN Kodai Iida 13 DF  BAN Ariful Islam Jitu 14 DF  BAN Tanvir Hossain 15 DF  BAN Jintu Mia 16 FW  BAN Mohamed Munna 17 FW  BAN Nihat Jaman Ucchash 18 FW  BAN Ekbal Hussain

No. Pos. Nation Player 19 FW  BAN Sarower Zaman Nipu 20 FW  BAN Sumon Reza 22 GK  BAN Rakibul Islam Tushar 23 DF  BAN Monir Alam 24 MF  BAN Dipok Roy 26 MF  BAN Chandon Roy (on loan from BFF Elite Academy) 27 DF  BAN Apon Sarkar 29 GK  BAN Mehedi Islam Rabbani 30 GK  BAN Nayeem Mia 31 DF  BAN Mohammad Sagor Miah 44 DF  UKR Valeriy Stepanenko 45 FW  GUI Sekou Sylla 67 MF  UZB Akhror Umarjonov 95 MF  SRB Vojislav Balabanovic

Coaching staff

As of 7 November 2023

Position	Name
Head coach	Jugoslav Trenchovski
Team Manager	Shahedul Alam Shahed
Assistant manager	Md Ifthekar Rahman Khan
Team Leader	Md Fakhruddin
Trainer	Abdul Baten Komol
Goalkeeping coach	Masud Ahamad
Interpreter	Md Maruf Kazi
Physiotherapist	Nujaim Khan Pranto
Head of delegation	Md Habibur Rahman Khan
Masseur	Md Shamim

Management

Board of directors

As of March 2022.^[18][19][20]

Position	Name
President	Sayem Sobhan Anvir
Vice-president	Naem Nizam Imdadul Haque Milon
Senior vice-president	Liaquat Ali Khan
Sporting director	Saleh Jaman Selim
Directo In Charge	Ismat Jamil Akhond
Director of Finance	Md. Fakhruddin

Team records

Head coach's record

As of 29 May 2024

Head Coach	Nat.	From	To	P	W	D	L	GS	GA	%W
Wazed Gazi		18 January 2007[21]	—	0	0	0	0	0	0	!—
Kamal Babu		27 August 2009[22]	—	0	0	0	0	0	0	!—
Mahmudul Haque Liton		December 2010[23]	June 2011	0	0	0	0	0	0	!—
Maruful Haque		September 2011	15 April 2014	73	45	12	16	130	61	061.64
Dragan Đukanović		21 April 2014[24]	20 May 2015	40	16	10	14	60	44	040.00
Maruful Haque		3 June 2015	26 August 2016	28	12	5	11	46	40	042.86
Shafiqul Islam Manik		27 August 2016[25]	3 February 2018	44	14	15	15	46	42	031.82
Saiful Bari Titu		October 2018[26]	13 March 2022	84	41	16	27	118	85	048.81
Zulfiker Mahmud Mintu		14 March 2022[27]	19 August 2023	45	21	12	12	80	61	046.67
Jugoslav Trenchovski		20 August 2023[28]	Present	23	5	7	11	23	32	021.74

AFC club ranking

As of 11 June 2023^[29]

Ranking	Team	Points
356	SL Benfica de Macau	52.0
357	Balestier Khalsa FC	52.0
358	Sheikh Russel KC	54.0
359	Nam Dinh FC	52.0
360	Oman Club FC	51.0

World club ranking

As of 11 June 2023^[30]

Ranking	Team	Points
1960	Racing Club de Montevideo	51.75
1961	Brikama United FC	51.70
1962	Sheikh Russel KC	51.68
1963	Light Stars FC	51.65
1964	Levadiakos FC	51.62

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

Period	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor
2018–present	Cosco	Bashundhara Cement

Honours

Winners

• Bangladesh Premier League:^[5]

2012–13

• Federation Cup:^[5]

2012

• Independence Cup:^[5]

2012–13

• Dhaka Second Division League:^[31]

2001–02

• Pioneer League:^[31]

1996–97

Runners-up

• Bangladesh Premier League:

2014–15

• Dhaka Premier Division League:

2003–04

• Dhaka First Division League:

2002

• Dhaka Third Division League:

1997

• Super Cup

2012–13

• Independence Cup (2):

2011, 2018–19

Performance in AFC competitions

Season	Competition	Round		Club	Score
2014	AFC President's Cup	Group stage		KRL	0–0
				Air Force	5–0
				Ugyen Academy	4–0
		Final stage		Erchim	1–0
				Rimyongsu	0–4
2015	AFC Cup	Preliminary stage		Khayr Vahdat	0–1
2017	AFC Cup	Qualifying round		Tatung	1–1
				F.C. Terton	3–4

Affiliated clubs

The following club is currently affiliated with Sheikh Russel KC:

• East Bengal Club (2022–present)^[32][33]

References

1. "Bashundhara Kings Arena set for historic debut". The Daily Star. 17 February 2022. Archived from the original on 16 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
2. Schöggl, Hans (2004). "Bangladesh 2004: Fourth National Football League". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023.
3. "Grand reception for Sheikh Russel KC". Bashundhara Group. 18 August 2015. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
4. "Venue". Sheikh Russel KC. 2021.
5. "Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra pays tribute to Bangabandhu". The Independent. Dhaka. Archived from the original on 22 March 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
6. Reporter, Sports (4 April 2013). "Team ethic breeds Russel success". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 4 August 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
7. পাতানো ম্যাচের কলঙ্কমুক্ত লিগ. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
8. Rahman, Anisur (27 December 2018). "Kings still unsatisfied after lifting Independence Cup". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
9. "Sheikh Russel KC lose 0-1 to FC Khayr of Tajikistan". The New Nation. Archived from the original on 13 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
10. "Sheikh Russel held by Tatung". The Daily Star. 24 August 2016. Archived from the original on 13 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
11. Rahman, Anisur (26 June 2013). "Mohammedan complete underdog fairytale". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 4 August 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
12. "Russel creates history in AFC President's Cup". Dhaka Tribune. 11 May 2014. Archived from the original on 13 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
13. "Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra starts new journey". Daily Sun. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
14. "Sheikh Russel to clear FIFA fine". The Daily Star. 23 July 2017. Archived from the original on 22 March 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
15. প্রতিবেদক, ক্রীড়া. "এএফসি ক্লাব লাইসেন্স পেল বাংলাদেশের চার ক্লাব". Prothomalo. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
16. "তারকাবহুল দল নিয়েও কেন সাফল্য পাচ্ছে না শেখ রাসেল?". 19 January 2022. Archived from the original on 14 February 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
17. "টিটুকে বরখাস্ত করল শেখ রাসেল". Jugantor. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
18. "চূড়ান্ত হলো শেখ রাসেল ক্রীড়া চক্রের ৩০ পরিচালকের পদ". Daily Sports BD (in Bengali). Retrieved 29 June 2022.
19. "শেখ রাসেল ক্রীড়া চক্রের প্রথম বৈঠক অনুষ্ঠিত | কালের কণ্ঠ". Kalerkantho (in Bengali). 29 January 2022. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
20. "Committee". Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
21. "Gazi belongs to Russel". The Daily Star. 18 January 2007. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
22. "Russel stick to youth". The Daily Star. 27 August 2009. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
23. কষ্টে জিতল শেখ রাসেল. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 31 December 2010. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019.
24. প্রেসিডেন্ট কাপ মিশনে দেশ ছাড়ছে রাসেল. Banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 3 May 2014. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
25. "Manik all set for Sk Russel post". Dhaka Tribune. 27 August 2016. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
26. "Sheikh Russel register heavyweight team". Daily Sun. Archived from the original on 26 December 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
27. "বরখাস্ত হলেন শেখ রাসেলের কোচ ও ম্যানেজার!". Daily Offside Bangladesh (in Bengali). 13 March 2022. Archived from the original on 17 February 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
28. "শেখ রাসেলের কোচ বদল". www.dhakapost.com (in Bengali). 20 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
29. "AFC club rankings". footballalphabet.com. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
30. "World club rankings". footballalphabet.com. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
31. "ABOUT SHEIKH RUSSEL KC". www.sheikhrussel.club. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
32. "East Bengal: ফুটবলের উন্নয়নে শেখ রাসেল ক্রীড়াচক্রের সঙ্গে কাজ করবে ইস্টবেঙ্গল". www.anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Anandabazar Patrika. 16 March 2022. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
33. Chakraborty, Swapnomoy (16 March 2022). "East Bengal sign strategic partnership with Bangladesh side Sheikh Russel". Khel Now. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.

External links

• Sheikh Russel FIFA page