Football: Japanese delegate visits Sri Lanka to kick-start Under-16 International Tournament

A delegation representing the Japanese Football Association (JFA) has paid a sudden visit to Sri Lanka earlier this week to make observations on the intended Under-16 International Championship, which is due to be played here in March, 2017. 

The delegation has visited the proposed venues and had held talks with the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) officials before leaving the island on Wednesday (23) night. 

This was disclosed by Ranjith Rodrigo, the Head of the Media and Financial Committees of FFSL. 

"We made the initial invitation to Japan and they agreed willingly. The FFSL takes Japan's gesture as a welcome sign in our mission to develop the national teams. Sri Lanka has been nagging at international level lately and we fully understand that the root cause to the national team's present day performance is mainly due to the lack of proper feeders. FFSL's Youth Development Programme has been active for a long time but it has now come to the fact that the project is a failure. We need to reshape and restructure the entire system and the beginning of it comes with giving proper technical training to the youngsters, mainly targeting the Under-16 and Under-19 age categories. This will be the start of it," Rodrigo said. 

Last week Rodrigo revealed that Japan has agreed fully sponsor an Under-16 International Championship where hosts Sri Lanka, funders Japan, Nepal and Bhutan are set to be featured. 

All expenses including air fares of all teams, accommodation and technical assistance, will be taken care of by Japan while internal transportation and match venues will be Sri Lanka's responsibility.  

"There are roles what outsiders may not see from the point of an administrator, who does a thankless job on a voluntary basis. The FFSL is made of individuals who are successful in their personal life and careers and we are not here to become failures. If things were well placed for the successors to take over smoothly and continue the good work or add more features, yes, we as the incumbent office bearers would not take this amount of blame today. Instead of harvesting good results, we have been compelled to sow today. That's what we are trying to do with this junior tournament". 

Rodrigo further revealed that unlike criticism leveled by certain individuals not knowing the true facts and background, the FFSL is under constant scrutiny in the recent times by FIFA when it came to international matches. 

This move by FIFA, he explained, the world governing body of football has adopted after taking into consideration many aspects, mainly on playing techniques and technical issues. 

"We too have our shortcomings, but nobody has done the simple thing of coming out and criticising constructively. We know there are many eyes watching us, besides the FIFA, AFC, media and our partners. We are answerable to them, and we are trying to put things in its correct places, so at least the administrators in time to come will not blame us. The start of it is this, and our only wish is that those who talk to our back would at least come out, in the name of the game, to motivate the players, assist and share their thoughts on the development projects that the FFSL is planning to do." 

"Sports like Cricket and Rugby are in less mess and there are good followings for both because they all stand in unison for the sport they love. But the Football fraternity in Sri Lanka is like two sides contesting with fierce battle for hopeless glory. It's futile to focus on such matters, at least we must make things happen now. We may not start to get the results overnight, but this Under-16 team playing in the Quadrangular Tournament, can be the same powerful Sri Lanka team that will bring the country pride and joy in another decade or so. It's what we are focused about," Rodrigo explained. 

Four venues have been earmarked for the Quadrangular Tournament which will be played within a period of two weeks in March next year. 

The venues are identified as Baddegana, Kelaniya, CR and FC and the Racecourse, where the opening game is planned to play. 

The Sri Lanka team will be picked from regional sides -- Jaffna, Gampola, Colombo and Ambalangoda -- the four teams that reached the semi-final stage in the recently held Under-16 League Competition. 

Training will begin from January next year and will continue even after the Quadrangular Tournament.  

"It will be a good exposure for the youngsters who will be national potentials, and the FFSL is keen on developing the team under the new foreign instructor who will be in-charge of the five academies. The main reason behind all this is because we cannot adhere the technical knowhow or change the playing style of a grown-up player, especially the ones in the national squad. The ideal, productive and easy to teach a potential youngster, so at least by 2023 our national team more productive and strong," he concluded