Alan Hardy said, "This is a fabulous opportunity for us to spearhead a football campaign in Bangladesh. This year will see the formation of the first professional Football League in Bangladesh and I am pleased that the Bangladesh Football Federation has chosen Oldham Athletic to help build relations between our two countries. We are looking forward to the trip and building long term relationships. The mere fact that we are going on a ground breaking visit will also help to do that with Bangladeshi people in Oldham. We've worked with the Asian community for many years, and this can only help to develop that relationship.”
Youth Team Coach Tony Philliskirk is also excited by the prospect and added, "I heard about it before Christmas. Things have progressed quickly over the past four to six weeks and now it's signed and sealed. I've been on a few tours myself to places like China, Malaya and Brunei, places like that. It's going to be a fantastic experience for the lads. When I was with Sheffield United as a young lad we were sent to Borneo to open the national stadium. The first team were due to go, but the construction of the stadium was put back due to the monsoons so the youth team went instead. It was a massive thing, an unbelievable experience. Even if they make it as professionals, the young lads will probably never get to play in front of crowds as big as the ones that will be at the games over there (around 120,000). Hopefully this will lead to a closer relationship between Oldham Athletic and the Bangladeshi Football Federation."