How to resurrect Sri Lanka Football
Now that, Honourable Navin Dissanayake has been appointed as the Minister of Sports, thousands of soccer loving fans and the past players are anxiously waiting to see a change in the football administration which ruined the sport during the last two decades.It is always good for the sport when its performance is evaluated and commented upon. It is vital for the sports to be constrictively criticized particularly when its playing standards are poor. Only then will the sport improve provided, of course, the administrators and the authorities are humble enough to admit the drawbacks and take comments and criticism as a mode of assistance and advice rather then as a challenge or confrontation.
A nation’s soccer standard is gauged on its international performance on the field and not at hotel functions, seminars, meetings and cup finals.
Today in Asian football, we are nowhere near the standard of countries like Japan, S. Korea, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia , Qatar etc , which are nations that matter in Asian Football. As a matter of fact, we are unable to hold our own even amongst the weakest of Asian groupings – the South Asian grouping which does not include any of the above named countries. Yet we are seeking a place in the Executive committee of the Asian Football Confederation. Apart from getting our priorities mixed up, is this not an exercise in sheer vanity? Would it be better for our administrators to plan and promote the game here and take meaningful steps to raise our playing standards in the schools, clubs and our National outfits? What we need is an all out effort to raise our technical standards not to raise the ego of a few officials who have been going on without a proper plan and programme to develop our football from the grass root level.
A satisfactory international performance could only come our way if our base structure – i e school football is strong and sure, our National squads are methodically trained. While a whole gamut of spade work has to be done to resurrect football in this country, is it not simply ridiculous to blow our trumpet in the least important direction?
With no prejudice whatsoever, it is my humble view that most of the officials in the football Federation lack education, knowledge, competence, commitment and integrity at the base of its affairs, most of at the top knows even a modicum of the technicalities of the sport they serve. Some have got certificates to get over the qualifying rule. While in fact, they have not played football at a high level. Unfortunately when such people hold positions at the top it is only natural, they surround themselves with equally ignorant colleagues, so that the stay at the top is safe and assured. A couple of ex- footballers brought into the caucus, is only camouflage. If only the sport laws are strictly and rigidly followed most of these pretenders could be unseated. While the rule says that a contender for the post of President or Secretary in the Controlling Body should have played in a major competition in the sport he serves, how many officials today serve the sport even without proper collegiate representation. The sport laws are reduced to a joke by those fakes who have circumvented them with utmost ease. If an Independent Technical Committee like the process of screening those by the Senate Committee on high public appointees in the United States many of the marks will be removed.
Here are some
recommendations:-
1.School Football
Our Schools football is yet to be tapped to its full potential. Get the past National Players and those who have played first division club football to coach the school teams. Arrange tournaments according to age groups sensibly and properly for schools districtwise, with the finals being held in rotation at major towns so that the game will be popularised. Organise and conduct seminars and coaching camps in schools where there is hidden talent.
2.Leagues
Re-active and reorganise with immediate effect the paper – leagues and that are not functioning properly by organising tournaments. Appoint coaches to handle the league sides. The talent should be kept alive by working out ways and means at absorbing the players in employment in the private sectors, cooperations and state sectors ensuring that the places where active football is better played with no restrictions on training.
3.FFSL Conducting tournament
Picking them young is one way of hoping for bright future at top level - File pic
The FFSL should not burden on itself with organising so many tournaments that should be left to the affiliated bodies with financial assistances. They should only concentrate namely the F.A. Cup, the Super League among the 1st division eight top clubs, and the Inter – League tournament.
4.Picking Talent
Past national players and knowledgeable coaches must be sent to all districts where trials are held during weekends. The talented can be picked and recommended to the Controlling Body instead for only twenty minutes trial held where a player’s ability cannot be gauged.
5.Training
The players should be under the coaches’ watchful eyes with all facilities provided through the Controlling Body or leagues concerned at least for a period of six months before an international tournament commences. If they are not upto the standard even after, they should forget any trips abroad without spoiling the good name of the country. We should have coaches on a hire and fire basis at least giving each coach an appointed time to produce results. Unless and until we have a systems where the motto will read as “Produce or Perish” our football will remain at best a leisure sport with warm and friendly exercise.
6.Selection of National Team
In selecting the National Team it must be laid down as a principle that only two officials go with the team, with more players being pitted against foreign teams. It should also be laid down that no officials are selected before the team is selected. It must also select a former National player of repute to be the manager, so that he will be technically advice them.
Our team had always been sent overseas to gain experience and not to return with results, hence the sport had suffered during the past two decades. The recently concluded international encounters by our National Team is a good example : Under the expertise of the Brazilian Coach we miserably lost to Maldives 10-0, with the present Siberian Coach we were beaten by Seychelles 3-1, Malaysia 2-0 and Bangladesh 1-0.
Countries like Japan, S. Korea, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iraq who were either on par or little better than us two decades ago, reached world cup standards, yet with 135 years of football history and 75 years of Association Football in Sri Lanka, results shown in reverse, standards reaching a low ebb.
The Controlling Body, Should conduct, a minimum of four Home Internationals annually (an international, means a fixture between two National teams) before they think of participating in competitions abroad. This will not only help us to gauge our standards, also give an opportunity to our soccer fans to witness and enjoy our team in action.
The Ministry of Sports has a vital and decisive role to play in the renaissance of our Football. The Ministry must ensure the sport in technically in competent hands; brook no nonsense and tamashas when we fail to raise our performing standards at least to Asian Level. Let it not fall victim of beneficiary, media coverage , but act strictly on results alone. Some old horses in the Administration of the FFSL have been living for ages without giving adequate contribution for football in general and to its development in particular High time to replace them and infuse with fresh blood with new vision and thinking to promote the game.
In view of these facts I humbly request the Honourable Minister of Sports Navin Dissanayake to take appropriate steps and to make a proper appraised of our sagging football standards and its developments.
The Sports Ministry should appoint a Technical Committee with men who are technically knowledgeable and competent headed by an expert to plan, promote and develop football, also to guide, work closely with the Controlling Body to achieve its objectives.
Hon. Minister the whole country is watching, with patient and high hopes that you will make a drastic change to bring back the lost glory and fame of this common man’s sport — football.