Sri Lankan Football was in the newsfor many reasons in the last few years and now it has become the talk of the town for dropping in world ranking to the lowest level in history to be ranked 206 out of 210 football playing countries. It is also ranked 47th, which is the last ranked team in Asia.
The Football Federation of Sri Lanka(FFSL) with a view of developing the game they have obtained the services of Amir Alagic, a Bosnian born coach who holds a European Professional Licence to revamp the national team. Amir arrived in Colombo in February this year just before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic which resulted in a complete lock-down.Due to this he had no option but to abandon his training camp for National Team for a few months, until it was started end of June
During this locked down period, Amir started analyzing the reasons for down fall of the Sri Lankan national team and why they failed to be competitive . He was also entrusted to take over as the Technical Director to restructure the local set up to be on par with world standards.
Amir says that, Sri Lanka has immense potential to grow and become a top football playing nation, if the affairs are managed professionally and systematically. He says that all aspects of the game and standard of football needs to be addressed individually to suit the needs. Execution of elite football is an area which is lacking in Sri Lanka for last 70 plus years. At the same time, recreational football also needs to be developed in all parts of the country.
There are many areas Sri Lankan Football needs to focus immediately such as to set up a playing pattern for the National Team, Professional football League, Youth Competitions and Coach Education Programme including coaching career pathways for young coaches.
Proposed “Super League”, which is to be launched end of this year is Sri Lanka’s first ever professional football league, is the only way forward to transform the game to higher levels in the country. This will not only attract commercial partners but also will bring back football’s past glory.
Amir also says, he has already designed many strategies for grassroots level, youth football, a common National Football Curriculum, Football Master Plan and Coaching licensing systems. He has also designed a system of sports science where analysts can perform more scientifically. with the assistance of FIFA and FFSL he is already restructuring womens football in the country. He says that “Sri Lanka Football requires fundamental support from the government such as playing fields, a football national stadium, good football grounds in all provinces or at districts without which the game cannot reach the next level.
Support from the commercial partners is another area Sri Lanka needs a big boost for its national teams and for its competitions. Football is a business in all parts of the world and commercial partners shall invest in football and this will pay them back in a bigger way in the near future.”
Amir has many tasks to perform under his responsibility and he says he needs professionals to handle the tasks ahead and the game and all affairs of FFSL shall be managed professionally if the country wants to see the standard of football to be improved in the next five years. He says he is hopeful; that important changes will take place in football in Sri Lanka in the coming years.
