Both the midfielders had unofficially announced their retirement from international football previously and now want to stick to their decisions.

Joy, who captained Bangladesh to finish runners-up in the SAFF Championship in Pakistan in December 2005 and the AFC Challenge Cup at home last April, has become involved in politics and only has interest to carry on with his domestic career.

Joy has been working in his constituency in a bid to get nomination for the coming general elections and he would not even be available in Dhaka for a few more days.

Talking over telephone, the national team and Abahani captain told yesterday that he will soon officially inform the federation about his retirement from international scene.

Irked by the absence of any competitive football for the past nine months, Joy said that he has lost the motivation to play.

"I don't know what the federation officials are doing. Without any competitive game, playing this match will only be a burden for the footballers. Because, they will be made the scapegoat for failure," Joy told.

"Nobody will blame the officials. I don't see any reason to go and play one international match all of a sudden," added the defensive midfielder.

Arman Mia had a wish to retire from the field but he thinks he has been deprived off the chance.

"I wanted to go out after the SAFF Championship in Pakistan. But many persuaded me to play in the AFC Challenge Cup at home," said Arman, the creative midfielder who virtually had no rival for the playmaker's position for a decade.

"Much to my frustration, I was dropped from the Challenge Cup squad. That's why I decided not to play any more," said Arman while trying in vain to hide the pain behind the decision.

Arman was injured during the final of the SAFF Championship against India and did not recover for the Challenge Cup, the team management had said earlier.

With the under-23 team preparing for the SA Games, the absence of two major midfielders would be a big headache for coach Hassanuzzaman Babloo, who will have very limited options.

Not only his squad of 20 will be reduced to 18 players but also he will have just three midfielders in the side.

The national team are due to start training tomorrow for their third match of the Asian Cup qualifiers against Qatar, to be held on August 16 in Chittagong.