Maruful Haque

Maruful Haque (মারুফুল হক) is a Bangladeshi professional football coach and former player, who is currently serving as the technical advisor of Chittagong Abahani.

Maruful played in Dhaka League for Bangladesh Boys’ Club in 1992–1994.

He was called up for the preliminary squad of the Bangladesh U19 team.

He regularly featured for his Zilla football team.

He completed his degree from Mymensingh Ananda Mohan College.

He earned a BPED from Dhaka Physical Education College in 1993.

A year later, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) hired him as its physical instructor.

He had his first experience with coaching when he lived the double role of being a footballer-cum-coach in Mymensingh Mohammedan.

He took part in a five-day coaching course organized by FIFA.

Impressed with Maruful's ability, German coach Walter Fizy asked Bangladesh's legendary coach Abdur Rahim to motivate Maruful in gaining higher coaching licenses.

Since August 1994, he has been coaching and organizing their sports & athletics.

Currently, he is the Asst. Director of Physical Education Department of BUET.

Under his assistance, Badda Jagarani Sangsad became champion in the First Division of the concurrent league system.

Maruful Haque started his coaching career as an assistant coach of Badda Jagarani Sangsad in 2001.

In the meantime, he also used to coach different Bangladesh Army football teams.

Although he started his professional career as a game & sports instructor in the Physical Education Department of BUET.

In 2008, he made his professional coaching career debut as the head coach of Mohammedan SC.

Maruful got a big break in 2008 when Mohammedan SC team management appointed him as the head coach of the traditional giant.

Maruful caught their attention during a tournament organized by the club where Maruful's Badda reached the semis.

He led the club Federation Cup title in both 2008 and 2009.

Maruf's biggest achievement during his tenure at the club was the triumph in the 2009 Super Cup.

Under his guidance, Mohammedan became runners-up in the Bangladesh Premier League during both seasons.

In his final season in 2009, the team finished as unbeaten runners-up.

In 2010, he joined another giant of Bangladesh football, Muktijoddha Sangsad KS.

He helped the club to become runners-up in the league as it was his only season in that club.

In 2011, he joined the new local giant Sheikh Russel KC.

2011–12 season was not so good for his team as they finish at fifth place in the league and also stopped their run in semi-final of Federation Cup.

But in very next season he made history in local football, as his team won the domestic treble during the 2012–13 season.

During their treble win, Russel came up on top against rivals Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in all three occasions.

In 2014, he joined the most successful club in the country as a technical director.

Later he became the head coach of the club and give them their third Federation Cup title in 2014–15 season.

Before that he led the club to win an invitational pre-season tournament in Bhutan called Bhutan King's Cup.

He is the first-ever South Asian to get a UEFA A license in 2015.

He is also one of the first Bangladeshi coaches to obtain AFC Pro-Diploma.

Maruful's roots lie in Gafargaon of Mymensingh.

He had interests in all kinds of sports in his youth.

He played 1st division kabaddi with Zurine Janata Club.

He had an offer from 1st division basketball club Dhaka Panthers.

Sonali Bank wanted him on its hockey team and BJMC offered him in athletics and 400 meters javelin.

However, he chose football for his professional career.