Holcim cements football

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE

The Holcim FA Cup the equivalent of the English FA Cup will kick off on Saturday when Police Sports Club dribble with newcomers to big time soccer Civil Security Service at 4 p.m. at the CR & FC grounds, Longden Place.

What is interesting in this year’s cup final is that it will be sans the big names of club football in the country like Saunders, Ratnam, Renown and the forces Army, Air Force or the Navy.

Instead Police a name to be reckoned with in the game here and who are making a cup final appearance after 36 years will front up to the Civil Security Service who are a new name to the game, but have some outstanding players.

It must be recalled that in this year’s English FA Cup final there were no big names like Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool. Instead it was lower division clubs such as Cardiff and Portsmouth who figured in the final with Portsmouth emerging champions.

This prestigious final which is usually played at the Sugathadasa Stadium has been shifted to Longdon Place and a big crowd is expected to take in the action.

The Football Federation has made all arrangements and spectators who throng the CR & FC Ground can enjoy the action in comfort.

The Police coached by J. Hashimdeen will be keen to lay their hands on this blue riband of local soccer, while CSF too will be aiming similarly.

The Security Services side has seven national youth players and they are expected to take on the experienced Police on equal terms. They are coached by Mahinda Palitha. While the CSF has no achievements to talk about, some of the players who did duty for the Police in years gone by are worth mentioning. They are Nizam Hajireen, Sourjah, Ahmath, K.B. Pusella and Harold Anthony goalkeepers, A.B. Roy, Judy Preena, T. Wanigaratne and E.N. Nicholas names that come to mind. The Police last set their hands on the trophy in 1973 under M. Azeez.

The record of netting five goals in a final is to the credit of that master dribbler and sharp shooter P.D. Sirisena. Incidentally Saunders have won this trophy on 21 occasions with Ratnams and Renown five each.

When this final and the trophy are being spoken about one cannot forget Holcim Lanka Limited the cement people for stepping in and showering a lucrative sponsorship. They are out to cement the game in the country and make football worth playing. Football is a worldwide sport. When former sponsors were pulling out, the players and the administrators must be grateful to Holcim for stepping in seeing that this prestigious tournament is kept alive and when Holcim is being spoken of one cannot forget its Managing Director, the irrepressible Manilal Fernando for making it all possible.

Peter Spirig, CEO of Holcim will be the chief guest with the guests of honour being IGP Jayantha Wickremaratne and Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera, the Head of Civil Security Force.