Resurrect our Football before it’s too late
When will Sri Lanka Football begin to rejoice again? - File pic
As the first nation to receive the World Cup from Russia, on its globe tour, is indeed a good move to further strengthen our friendly relationship with the other countries of the world. However, it is FFSL’s top officials, clad in black suits, who stand on the stage with the VIPs, to exhibit the Cup to the Football-loving people of our country, whose Football standard has hit rock-bottom in world rankings.
It is no secret our Football standards have reached its lowest level. It has dropped from 123rd position in World Football rankings to 203rd position, among 209 countries, while being beaten by unrated opponents of the calibre of Maldives (10-0), Bangladesh (4-0), Bhutan (6-0) and Seychelles (3-0), which clearly shows where we are on the world Football map.
With all the disgrace of such deplorable performances, FFSL administrators argue they are on the right track. They also say that, if we don’t take part in international tournaments, we would be penalised, which provokes more laughter than anger. I represented the National team for more than 10 years, and so did my brothers too, and the least of the competitions we have participated in are the World Cup qualifying rounds, without any penalty or punishment. On the contrary, the FFSL may be taken to task for not staging any “Home Internationals” in the last couple of years. This is apart from a near total collapse of our outstation Leagues and equally a poor school Football base. Unless a concerted effort is made immediately by all, the game is sure to further deteriorate.
The FFSL administrations failed in the last three decades and has become worse now due to lack of knowledgeable competent people, inability to re-activate the Football Leagues and failure to tap the technical expertise available in the country for the uplift of the playing standards.
It is pointless elaborating on these lapses, as it will take us nowhere. What is necessary at the moment is a sensible plan to promote and develop the game as a national sport.
No sport could ever blossom to national or international standards unless the proper nurseries are formed. Players do not fall from the sky, nor do they come out of an automated production line. They have to be taught basic skills at a tender age and tactics instilled in their formative years. This is the need of the hour.
The growth of a player to national or international standards depends primarily on the degree of the skills he has mastered in his formative days. We may hire the most experienced and knowledgeable coaches from Brazil, Siberia, Japan and South Korea and expect instant results at international competitions, but the outcome will be zero. This is exactly why our national team, at all levels, are getting hammered left, right and centre these days. It is evident from the recently concluded Youth Tournament held in Nepal, where we were beaten by unrated teams such as Bangladesh (4-0) and Bhutan (6-0). Fortunately, we withdrew from the Asian Youth Competition this year, where we would have got massacred by teams of the calibre of Saudi Arabia, Baharain and Uzbekistan. In the last one year, our Senior National Team has not played a single International match here or abroad, thus depriving Lankan Football lovers of witnessing our national team in action. The FFSL, as a rule, should invite at least 3 Asian national Football teams annually to our country, so that, we could gauge our own standards and also offer our public an opportunity to witness the standard and progress made by other Asian countries.
Our participation at tournaments abroad, should be on the basis of our performance against these visiting national teams and nothing else whatsoever. By this, we would be compelling both, our technocrats and administrators, to pull up their socks and face the challenges fairly and squarely. We have both the talent and the know-how to emerge as equals, if not one of the best in Asia. It is the lack of a well thought out scheme and competent personnel to handle its affairs, that has retarded the progress of our Football.
There was an era when Sri Lanka’s Footballers dazzled Asia with their superb talent and skill. Where are the players of the calibre of Peter Ranasinghe, Tom Ossen, M.M. Hassimdeen, C.S Fernando, Mahinda Aluvihare, P.D. Sirisena, A. Zainulabdeen, Edward Wickramasuriya, S.P. De Silva, P.H.S. Albert, M.A. Ameer, Piyadasa Perera, Lionel Peiris, T.M Amidon or a Subhani, now?
The love for Football in Sri Lanka must be seen to believe it. In every corner of the country, the game was played even for the kick of it. Colombo and outstation parks gave many Footballers the opportunity to aspire for national representation.
Football, from playground to schools to national level, made rapid strides, but why is it that same trend is lost now? Has no interest been taken to revive it? Another downfall of Football has been the formation of mushroom clubs and Leagues which have little or no interest at heart, for the promotion of the game. 48 Leagues increased to 72 recently, simply to obtain votes at the AGMs, to occupy the top seats. Please get rid of those rotters who do not care for the sport and to the country at large. Get the right men to handle its affairs, without allowing the sport to further deteriorate like a beggar’s wound, and bring disgrace and humiliation to Mother Lanka at international tournaments.
From a near 4,500 schools in the country, of which, more than 2,000 schools have playing facilities, it is regrettable to note that, at present, only a few schools take part in any organised schools Football competitions. So how could the game blossom? From where could we provide players? Is there indeed a future?
Firstly, we should start a programme for the promotion of Football in our schools. Nothing in life has ever grown or shall grow in the absence of nurseries. Schools are our nurseries and the seeds necessarily must me sown in the age group of 12-16 so that, they will acquire the necessary technical and tactical skills of the game early. It is in a developing tender mind and muscle, that the seeds of skills and technique could be sown and grown., If we fail to provide this paramount important aspects, we can be sure there will be a dearth of players soon or later, and will probably be the end of the sport, which is the unpleasant experience we have been confronted with in the last two decades or so.
Secondly, the FFSL ought to re-activate the 72 Football Leagues spread islandwide, which is our Football base, to take part in a purposeful programme of domestic competitions. If the game is to develop on a broadbased national level, it should be played actively throughout the island. It is only through the affiliated Leagues that such a competition programme could be sustained.
It is necessary to sustain an uninterrupted meaningful training programmes for both our Senior National and Youth National teams, throughout the year. Periodically, to test the performing strength, the FFSL should invite national teams from among Asian Countries. A minimum of 4 such “Home Internationals” conducted annually, could suffice to gauge our performing strength. If our national performances are of poor quality, it is evident we should clear the grey areas, before we look beyond our shores. On the other hand, these “Home International” will serve as a challenge to our national players and coaches to do better, and will galvanise them into serious thinking and training.
If, however, our performance in these encounters are praiseworthy, none would deny our teams the right to participate in international tournaments abroad, which our players, coaches and officials feel they have earned and rightfully deserve.
I have briefly touched on the urgent problems that confront our Football, as I see it, and sincerely trust a fair degree of attention on these identified areas would greatly help to put this game back on its feet, where it rightly deserves to be. To point fingers at those responsible for this pitiful plight, is a profitless exercise.What is essential is to identify the main drawbacks and take corrective action early, without allowing it to further fall into an abyss from where there is no return. The Ministry of Sports and the Ministry of Education, with the support and assistance of Local Government Authorities, have a very important role to play, to investigate the drawbacks, errors and corruption within the FFSL and its affiliated Leagues, and take necessary steps to resurrect the most popular sport and the common man’s game, which is played and witnessed all over Sri Lanka.