Dhaka: The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has assigned two new foreign coaches for the development of national football. 

Both however have been signed on short-term contracts. The 56-year- old Englishman John Whittle has been appointed for three months ending in March as Strength and Conditioning Coach, and New Zealander Ryan Sandford for four months, ending in April, as Goalkeeping Coach. 

BFF in an executive meeting on Saturday decided to assign them to work with Bangladesh national football team head coach Tom Saintfiet and Technical & Strategic Director Paul Smalley.

The duration of Whittle’s appointment can be extended depending on his performance, decided the meeting with its president Kazi Salahuddin in the chair held at BFF House. 

John Whittle has a proven record as a highly successful youth football coach and educator across two continents developing youth players and youth coaches from domestic level through to international teams. He worked last for the New Plymouth Boys High School in New Zealand as Director of Football, after finishing a six-year stint as youth development director for the Asian Football Confederation based in Malaysia.

Whittle completed his footballing apprenticeship in the 1970s with Chelsea, the popular West London club, playing as goalkeeper.

After finishing with Chelsea, Whittle played for the English Football League Club Aldershot and later Kingstonian before injury cut short his playing career.

In his mid-20s, Whittle moved to New Zealand in 1990 to pursue a coaching career.

Before turning to coaching, Sandford, 36, enjoyed a lengthy career in the professional leagues in his native New Zealand and the USA. 

Earlier, in 2016, Ryan was in a short term assignment -- August to October -- as the Bangladesh national team’s Goalkeeping Coach.