‘Winning Team’ withstands demand for change in FSL Administration
The Three Musketeers of Sri Lanka football (from left) - Dr. Manil Fernando, newley elected FSL chief Jaswar Umar and Ranjith Rodrigo
Jaswar Umar and his ‘Winning Team’ swept the football stakes on its ‘Unity Platform’ that brought together three heavyweights with former President Ranjith Rodrigo and longtime aspirant for the job, Dr. Manil Fernando supporting Umar, who without doubt commands the choice of many leagues in the country. The current structure replete with ‘paper leagues’ would see to that, but the bottomline was that the ‘Unity’ slogan triumphed at a time when FIFA had Football Sri Lanka under the microscope.
FIFA and AFC representatives were on hand to supervise the election. The contending group led by Dacshitha Sumathipala, the Anuradhapura Football League President, though lily white in comparison, did not possess the acumen to pose a serious challenge. The campaign led by another former President Anura de Silva, took a principled stand, but its backers led by a shrill voice from Qatar and a moribund masters group, failed to create an effective resonance with the leagues. The football stakeholders it appears, had no patience with the change mantra.
Thus, the result brought to a conclusion the nine-month long gestation precipitated by the Ministry of Sports (MoS) which had its fangs removed by precise FIFA edicts that refused to tolerate what is often referred to as ‘Third Party Interventions’.
All the gyrations and chest beating which the Minister relentlessly displayed against the rampant corruption in the sport has been studiously pushed under the carpet for the time being, to appease the dictates of the international body. One can imagine that the Kusala Sarojini Wijewardene report meanwhile gathers dust.
It is to the credit of Umar that he has weathered many a storm, rising through the football ranks and dribbling his way to the Presidency of Football Sri Lanka (FSL). Coming from a technical (refereeing) background, Umar is a competent football exponent with more than a fleeting understanding as to how football politics works. He also has a sharp awareness of modern football, having benefited from exposure at Asian and International levels. This augers well for FSL. How well he will fashion a fresh administration is left to be seen.
It is expected that the powerful Vice Presidents will play a lead role while many of the faithful will demand lucrative encashment at Football House. In spite of FIFA’s stance that a Secretary/CEO should run day-to-day affairs, it will be interesting to witness as to how this personage will be appointed and how he will be allowed to sun FSL. The body politic in Sri Lanka does not respect such a civil service and its public service is replete with hangers on. It is not unusual for ministers to recruit family members as secretaries and Personal Assistants; so, it will be interesting to see if FSL follows that path.
The other distraction is the preoccupation of marrying football to political campaigns. The result is a surfeit of football carnivals that overruns serious technical development of the sport. It is hoped that FSL will not succumb to such shoddy short term shenanigans.
Focus on the youth, and that means school football, becomes a certainty. Here too, dovetailing into Education Department tournaments that never end, is not the way to go. The FSL must zoom in on the top teams that emerge in local competitions, while encouraging the larger student population. Private academies are great but they must not be overtaken by commercial interests. The need now is not look far, but once can take a closer look at how India develops its football stocks. The long term challenge is to make football as popular as cricket. International football is full of success stories but they are built on professional outcomes. There is no reason that FSL cannot follow suit.
Umar was accused of many nefarious activities that virtually brought FSL to a standstill. He now has a great opportunity and duty to dispel once and for all those allegations and put the record straight. He also has to take a good hard look at the national football structure, if football is to rise from the doldrums. Successive administrations have relegated the sport to the bunkers on cheap populist mantras that disregard meritocracy and simply rewards bedtime loyalists.
This is the quantum leap that Umar has to orchestrate. He has given the promise that it will be done. Football lovers will look for these goals very soon. Or in today’s context, they will push to change the manager.