The absurdity of sending a weak and a disorganized national team for an international competition abroad has once again put our country into shame. Our senior national team has just returned home from Philippine after losing the 2nd leg match by 4-0, in the World Cup Football qualifying round. While some think that our team performed well in the 1st leg encounter, when we held the opponent to a one all draw, played in our soil. Having witnessed this match I think that our standards had deteriorated rapidly and my, intention is to put the records straight. The football public too is aware fully and wholly of this aspect and let it rest at that.
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| Sri Lanka failed to progress in WC 2014 qualifiers. Pic by Mangala Weerasekera |
It is always good for the sport, when its performance is evaluated and commented upon. It is vital for the sport to be criticized particularly when its playing standards are poor. Only then will the sport improve, provided of course the administrators are humble enough to admit the drawbacks and take comments and criticism as a mode of assistance and advice rather than as a challenge or confrontation.
We witnessed the following draw backs and blunders made by our National team at the 1st leg match played here. Firstly there was no team work and understanding among the players.
Secondly positional plays, the short pass-game, the vacant position play were not adopted. As a result sensible, constructive and tactical moves to score goals were not created. Finally, the basic skills such as shooting and headings were horrible. We cannot blame the players for this.
They will have to be trained properly by the Korean expert and the local coaches, particularly with the basic skills, tactics and the system of play. Well! When one is asked to comment on these coaches who have been with our players for a long period of time, one must be charitable and not just comment for the sake of commenting. A football coach’s profession is a hire and fire job. The maximum time period given to a national coach to produce results is only two years. During this period they should produce results or perish. It is very unfortunate this practice is not followed in Sri Lanka.
National coaches are allowed to continues for ages without producing fruitful results. Brazilian father and son combination and now the Korean coach are good examples. This system is not adopted by our administrators either due to ignorance of the spots or due to obligations to prominent individuals who offer goodies.
Football sympathizers have also come out with an excuse that if a national body is affiliated to AFC or FIFA, the national body must take part in the Asian or World Cup tournaments and not to do so would lose membership.
This is a move only to hoodwink the high ranking officials of the government and Sport Ministry. If our team is not fit to play even at the regional level all what the Football Federation has to do is to write and official letter to the organizers of the tournament with the copy to the AFC and FIFA and say that because of our poor standard of the team it would not participate in the tournament. No governing body would penalize a team on this issue. Of course; if any individuals are trying to secure and protect their sects at the Asian Controlling body or World Controlling boy of their own personal glory and benefits at the expenses of our soccer players, that is something else.
Tours abroad are merely a ruse by the officials for personal fun, glorification and enrichment. This is a crime and it should be rooted out for good.
Senior international and junior international teams must be brought to our country regularly to give our players the necessary exposure and experience. It is purposeless to send teams abroad for the benefit of a chosen few when there are many hundreds thirsting for exposure and experience locally.
It is necessary to sustain an uninterrupted training programme for both our senior national and youth national teams throughout the year. Periodically, to test the performing strength, the controlling body should invite national teams from among Asian countries. A minimum of 3 such Home Internationals conducted annually would suffice to gauge our performing strength.
If our national performances are of poor quality, it would be evident that we should clear the grey areas before we set our eyes beyond our shores.
In fact, it will be morally incumbent on our part to stay out of foreign jaunts, if we fare poorly at these “Home International”. On the other hand these Home International will serve as a challenge to our national players and coaches to do better and will galvanize them into serious thinking and training. It will also give an opportunity to our soccer loving public to witness our players in action.
If however our performances in these encounters are praise worthy, none would deny our teams the right to participate in international competitions abroad. Lets our player’s, coaches and officials feel that they should earn not yearn for trips abroad.
My appeal hence is to save the name of Sri Lankans being disgraced in international tournaments. It is better not to participate in competitions rather than take our flag out to be kept unfurled beyond the winning stands.
I am proud to be a loyalist to my country and a realist in matters of Football. With over fifty years of involvement in the game, as national captain, coach and administrator I have not turned my life and character to live on wits. As much as others, I too desire to see my country do well but I shall to my last breath, fearlessly stand up for the right and not hesitate to expose the ills in our football. What matters in the final analysis are results and the level at which they are achieved. |
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