Abul Hossain (Bengali: আবুল হোসেন; born 2 July 1957) is a retired Bangladeshi football player and coach.
Early life
Born in Chandpur, East Bengal, Abul was the ninth oldest among eleven siblings. He played both football and basketball at inter-school and district level. He trialed for Azad Sporting Club in Dhaka, and after impressing coaches Ranjit Das and Anjam Hossain, he joined the club both as a basketball and football player.[1]
He represented Mohammedan SC from 1979 until his retirement in 1993. During his tenure with the Black and Whites, he became known for his long-throws, and helped the club win six First Division titles. Notably, he captained the team in 1982, leading them to a domestic double and victory in India's Ashis-Jabbar Shield Tournament, which saw Mohammedan become the first Bangladeshi club to win a trophy on foreign soil.[1] He was also part of the team that reached the semi-final league round of the 1988–89 Asian Club Championship under coach Nasser Hejazi, where they defeated both Iran's Persepolis and North Korea's April 25.[2]
He made his debut for the team at the 1978 Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand. He was also part of the team at the 1980 AFC Asian Cup held in Kuwait. Abul was appointed vice-captain for the 1982 Asian Games held in New Delhi, India and captained the team during a 2–1 victory over Malaysia in the absence of original captain Abdul Motaleb. He captained the team at the 1983 Merdeka Tournament in Malaysia. He also represented the national team at the 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1987 editions of the President's Gold Cup in Dhaka.[1]
Coaching career
In 1995, Abul completed coaching training in Sri Lanka and later became the assistant coach of Mohammedan SC. In 2001, he succeeded Pakir Ali as the club's head coach and, the following year, led the team to a domestic double by winning both the league and the Federation Cup title. In 2003, his team finished runners-up in the National League, losing the final to Muktijoddha Sangsad KC at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in front of 45,000 sepctators.[3] He stepped down from his position in 2004 and relocated to the United States with his family.[1]
Personal life
Abul's son, Abid Hossain, is a professional footballer who played for Mohammedan SC.[4][5]
