Sports Minister blends pool

Confident national football team for Sri Lanka:

Yasaratne GAMAGE

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said that the best way to form a national football team to win international reputation is the novel talent search programme initiated by the sports ministry in association with the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) in which most skillful footballers in the island will be blended to a 30 member squad.

Because of the current league system where victorious teams are promoted, most skillful players were often left behind which have resulted in forming a national squad that has been facing continuous defeats, the Minister said.

But in the novel scheme where talented footballers around the island have been kept scrutinized on playing conditions through out a tournament from the divisional secretarial level, district level to provincial level is an opportunity for any talented player to enter the national pool depending on their individual talents, regardless of a team victory, he added.

Minister Aluthgamage made these remarks in a special meeting held at the Sports Ministry to discuss the new programme which has been initiated in the fields of soccer and athletics, with the administrators of the FFSL and the AASL in the presence of the media.

The minister explained that since the commencement of the talent search tournament to select an under 21 soccer squad new players have emerged from the outstations specially from North and East. He also pointed out how the ongoing tournament have paved the way for more youths to come forward unlike the league system.

"When we first came up with the idea, many who are involved in the sports argued the aim is not achievable and tried to bypass by giving various reasons.

We stick to the target and supplied necessary guidance, finance and a systematic procedure at all levels to conduct the tournament. As a result a record number of 2496 teams entered the divisional secretarial level matches. It is also the highest participation in a soccer tournament after a decade," the Minister noted.

Already the Sports Ministry has spent a considerable amount of finance in the revival programme. The 30 players who will be selected from the 575 players on November 22 will be entitled to a Rs 70000 monthly package including a 40000 allowance and also a job prospectus. The Ministry has already initiated discussion to get the service from either Brazilian or a Japanese coach for the national pool from next year.

"The aim is to form an under-23 national soccer pool full of young blood. It will take time but a fruitful investment for a secured football future for Sri Lanka. The existing players will not hampered as the most talented will also be included in the national team," the Minister explained.

The tournament which targeted 324 Provincial Secretariat level matches brought down to the best 25 district teams, of that the best players would be selected to the nine provincial teams.

The football championship of 25 teams with 575 players would be held from November 22 at the Torrington Stadium in Colombo after which the final squad of 30 players will be selected.