Sullivan twins emerge as Bangladesh's diaspora success story

Philadelphia-born twins Ronan and Declan Sullivan have become prominent examples of Bangladesh's effort to bring eligible diaspora players into its national-team system. The Guardian reported on Tuesday that the Saint Joseph's University players helped Bangladesh win this year's South Asian Football Federation Under-20 Championship after qualifying through their maternal ancestry.

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Their route into the squad began through contact with the Save Bangladesh Football social-media account, which eventually connected them with Bangladesh Football Federation vice-president Fahad Karim. Obtaining Bangladeshi passports was complicated because their mother did not have one, according to the report, but the twins completed the process and travelled from New York to Dhaka in March.

Neither player was guaranteed selection. They joined a camp containing more than 30 players, including three other overseas-raised candidates, and had to navigate some language barriers during training. The Guardian said the brothers earned their places after several days, having made the trip before beginning their college commitments in the United States.

Bangladesh met India in the tournament final in Male, Maldives, on April 3. The match remained scoreless before going to penalties, where Ronan Sullivan took Bangladesh's fifth kick with a chipped Panenka and scored. The victory gave Bangladesh the Under-20 regional title and led to a heavily attended celebration in the Maldives followed by a public welcome for the team in Dhaka.

The success has also provided a visible case for recruiting players with Bangladeshi roots overseas. The twins told The Guardian that they had noticed increased interest from other eligible players after the tournament. Senior national-team coach Thomas Dooley, appointed seven weeks after the Under-20 triumph, said overseas recruitment can help raise standards but must be balanced against cost and the development of players based in Bangladesh.

Dooley is now preparing the senior side for the SAFF Championship, which Bangladesh is scheduled to host in November. Bangladesh has won that competition once, as the host nation in 2003. The coach also identified qualification for the Asian Cup or World Cup as a longer-term process, while stressing the need for domestic academies, leagues and infrastructure to support any gains made through diaspora recruitment.