Blatter here soon to open football complex

SAMPATH BANDARA

World Football chief Josef Sepp Blatter will visit Sri Lanka soon to open several new football complexes located at Matara, Kalutara, Mannar, Badulla, City League and Norwood, according to Manilal Fernando, Senior Vice President of Asian Football Federation.

“The world football boss will be here after the FIFA Congress. It will be an official tour. The Matara and Badulla constructions are 90 per cent over,” said Fernando.

Fernando also revealed that there will be notable changes in the national soccer team this year.

The national team will be reconstructed under Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera. Modern technical methods will be introduced under the new coach Sampath Perera, technical coach Sumith Walpola and goal keepers instructor Jude Karunarathne. Korean coach Jang Jung will be back to train the under 14, under 16, and under 19 national teams. He will help, develop and direct the technical side of the youngsters. “We have several important tournaments this year.

We will play the Asia Cup tournament in India and our women footballers will also tour Maldives this year,” said Fernando.

“My intention is to make football the more popular sport in Sri Lanka in the near future.

We are going to provide better facilities and build security fences around the major football grounds in the island, so as to prevent crowd invasion. And priority will be given to introduce football in the North and East where it was a popular sport in the past.

Fernando has maintained a splendid rapport with the FIFA boss which has helped football in the country.

This will be Blatter’s third visit to Sri Lanka. He first came here in 2001 to open the ‘Football House’ and then in 2005. He also met President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the company of Manilal Fernando.