Bens best player award winners

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE

My article headlined - Albert Fernando a legendary coach - on December 10 appearing in these columns brought response from one of his outstanding players in Shelton Ganegoda.

Ganegoda was one of the players who starred in the champion Benedictine soccer teams of 1957 and 1958. He goes on to say that he was fortunate to be trained by a coach of the calibre of Fernando and adds that it was Fernando who after qualifying in Brazil as a coach first introduced the 'three back system' on his return.

Brazil who were the world champions of that time first introduced the 'three back system' to the game and Benedictine soccer followed which was an innovation of Fernando.

Soccer at that time had the 'two back system' - meaning two full backs. Fernando on his return from Brazil introduced the new system which was later snapped up by other teams.

Ganegoda was selected the 'Best Footballer' of the year in 1957 and 1958 and received a certificate from Albert Fernando.

He also captained the Red Lions Sports Club that won the club championship in 1962. Earlier he captained the Katubedda Campus team that won honours in 1961.

Lt. Col. Shelton Ganegoda KSV, MILM (H.K) is now a consultant Engineer at the National Construction Association of Sri Lanka, Western Province Branch also played and captained the Public Works Department Sports Club in 1964 that won the Government Services 'C' division championship.

Ganegoda in his response also states that I have done justice and paid a tribute to a man who helped mould many a young life.

In conclusion Ganegoda says: 'I'm proud to have been trained under Albert Fernando and the credit for all my achievements in the field of soccer goes to Fernando'.

In the picture published above Rozen Rodrigo and Edward Jayawardena were two of the best captains produced by the green-white and green school.

Incidentally Jayawardena followed in the footsteps of his guru and turned out to be an excellent coach and went on to coach the Sri Lanka team.

Jayawardena when he was coach of the Kotahena school also produced many champion teams. One of his best players he produced was D. Chandrisiri who excelled between the posts for SBC and Sri Lanka.