Holcim cements FA Cup

Elmo Rodrigopulle

SOCCER: After a long time, we made it to the Sugathadasa Stadium to take in the action that was the Holcim Football Association Cup final between Saunders and Negombo Youth under lights on Sunday.

The Stadium renovated to international standard by the late President R. Premadasa in memory of his good friend, the late V.A. Sugathadasa who was the first Minister of Sport looked a picture.

Now a FA Cup final in any country is the ultimate celebrated in all its pomp and glory. The English FA Cup sees the Queen of England gracing it.

But sadly in Sri Lanka it does not get the support and the sponsorship it deserves. In the past, big business houses used to pump in money and the final was eye catching.

But for no accountable reason, big business people seem to have lost interest and the sport is not getting the support it richly deserves.

But fortunately the game has a man for all seasons in Vernon Manilal Fernando, the local Sepp Blatter who has done and is continuing to do wonders for the game, the player and the administration.

Chairman of Holcim Lanka Ltd. Fernando using his persuasive powers has got his big bosses in Sweden who have realised the value and publicity their product can get and Fernando has been able to cement sponsorship for the showpiece of the game here.

Football in Sri Lanka is primarily a poor man’s game. It is played right round the country and has a vast following and big business people would do well to come in with sponsorship and see that the poor man’s game is given its rightful place.

The game here has a competent set of officials who are working hard to see that the game reaches the top. Manilal Fernando is now a senior Vice President in the Asian Football Confederation and being a close friend of President of FIFA Sepp Blatter and Bin Hammam, President AFC is able to get things for the game which was only a dream in the past.

Fernando has big ideas for the game. But sadly natural talent unlike in the past it is not emerging. That is because the game in the schools and in the playgrounds is not what it was. These two institutions were the cradles of the game and some of the most outstanding players who played with pride and brought honour to the country emerged from there.

To the final, and the soccer displayed did not reach any dizzy heights. Most of the time it was aimless kicking and running with nothing constructive being seen.

Negombo Youth laid their hands on the cup for the first time beating Saunders 3-0 because they played the slightly better soccer. The standard displayed by the teams was not in keeping with a prestigious final of this nature.

I was watching the action most of the time in the company of former Saunders and Sri Lanka captain Alfred Dias and he too lamented the mediocre action in the final. And Dias knows what he is talking about, because he was one of the finest defenders that the country has produced.

Manilal Fernando is guiding the destinies of the game and in Hurely Silveria, President and Hafiz Marikar, Secretary he has two top administrators. Incidentally Silveria is the nephew of the late great goalkeeping sensation of that time Lawrence Fernando, who sported Sri Lanka colours and who could be tagged the Patron Saint of Ratnam Sports Club.

There was an ugly incident just as the referee blew full time as he was allegedly assaulted by a Saunders player. Now this incident, although it was done in the heat of the moment, has no place in sport and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

An outstanding ruggerite, who was only a spectator is alleged to have assaulted a rugger referee after a schools’ game and has been barred from the game for two years.

It would be interesting to see whether the FFSL would take a leaf from the book of the SLRFU and act similarly.

Once again our congratulations to Holcim, the cement people for sponsoring this great event.