In recent years, traditional powerhouses Mohammedan Sporting Club and Abahani have become accustomed to turning up with weak teams, resulting in takeovers by Muktijoddha and Brothers who have already played in the final of the season's first tournament.

As another tournament begins within a couple of days, Red and Orange once again look well tuned to become the final pairing of the Federation Cup, pushing the bigger names to the backseat.

If Brothers were the dominant force last season by winning two titles, in-form Mukti's look like the team to beat this year after lifting the Independence Day Gold Cup with a 2-0 win over their rivals from Gopibagh.

Muktijoddha's impressive run in the AFC Cup will also make the Fed Cup holders hot favourites to retain the prestigious trophy.

But Muktijoddha coach Shafiqul Islam Manik, who has a number of match winners in his side and probably possesses the most solid defence, is not thinking about the Federation Cup at all.

"All our concentration is now on tomorrow's AFC Cup game against Nebitchi. We feel that the nation has a lot of expectations on us after our away win against them in Turkmenistan," Manik told The Daily Star Sport yesterday.

"We have time in hand and we will start thinking about the Federation Cup two days later. I know, there will be a lot of expectations on us to go all the way but my first target is reaching the semifinals," said the former national footballer in a humble tone.

"It could be anybody's game in the knockout stages," he added.

Brothers manager Amer Khan saw some positives in the their defeat to the Mukti's in the Independence Day Cup final.

"I think it was better that we lost. The players were over confident in the rematch after scoring early in the postponed game. We had our chances but conceding a goal in the dying moments probably unsettled the whole team," told Amer.

"We missed Edward but the Russian striker is now fully fit. We have the right team to face the challenge in a tough group involving Muktijoddha and Sheikh Russel and whatever the result is, playing more games before the league will help us," the former Brothers midfielder said.

Drawn in the same group, both Abahani and Mohammedan tents feel that their foreign players were a letdown in the Independence Cup.

Mohammedan sacked Korean coach Man Young Kang and two Korean booters after their elimination from the semifinals while Abahani also sent their South American players packing.

"We are trying to recruit a coach and two footballers from Nigeria but I don't think they will be here before the final," informed Mohammedan manager Amirul Islam Babu.

"We will have to continue with local players. We had a few injury problems but all are fit now. We have to win at least two group matches to make it to the semis and if we reach the final, then we might use foreign players," he added.

Abahani, who suffered their worst defeat in domestic football in 30 years when they crashed 4-0 to Brothers last month, have strengthened their squad bringing in Cameroonian midfielder Ndem Kiyek.

"Ghanaian striker Audu Ibrahim is due to arrive in Dhaka today and we will have our key defender Pradip Poddar back from suspension in the Fed Cup," told Abahani manager Satyajit Das Rupu.

Pradip was banned for five matches and has to sit out one more game but the Sky Blues are hoping that the Bangladesh Football Federation will reduce the ban after appeal.

"They will fill the gaps we had during the last tournament. We had too many young players who made a lot of mistakes. I hope they have learned from their mistakes and you will see the old Abahani in the tournament," hoped the former national footballer.