“Cricket does not have the same popularity as football around the world. Give the players a football at training practice see what they will do. They will kick about. Their warm up is football.”
FIFA President Joseph Blatter remarked at the media conference to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka.
“Asia is the present of football. Power houses in the economy with India, China and now has the capacity to be power houses in football. Look at India. We will have the U17 World Cup in 2017. It is the first boom in a big cricket country. Also they just started the professional league, with former international stars. It is a promotion.”
Blatter was also quick to say for that to happen a proper football structure and vision is needed. He also stated that FIFA is willing to support but it will all depend on the correct project proposal. Sri Lanka will also receive a bonus of USD 500,000 from FIFA in January in addition to the USD 250,000 it has already given for the World Cup revenue.
“In Sri Lanka there is a semi-professional league but has the more teams than the professional leagues in countries like England, Germany and France. The Federation needs to reduce to that number and make it more competitive.”
“I hear that something like what is happening in India (Indian Super League) is in the pipeline. That is good, good for the local players to get more experience.” He added on a positive note.
“The President requested assistance from FIFA to bring down internationally-acclaimed players to Sri Lanka and to help Sri Lankan players obtain experience abroad,” President Rajapakse’s office said in a statement, after Joseph Blatter had met with His Excellency before making the visit to Jaffna to open the Ariyalei Football Complex.
Blatter also attended a banquet where three football icons in Sri Lanka were felicitated; National Football Kit was unveiled and also launched the ‘Protect the goal campaign’ as well as the ‘National Football Trust.’
The three football icons who were felicitated were P.D.Sirisena, Nimal Wickramathunge and G.A.K.Abeysekera.
P.D. Sirisena is a former Sri Lanka player who captained the side from 1962-1965. He won many a championship with Saunders SC and has been the heart and soul of the club to date. He also played in overseas leagues in Bangladesh, Netherlands and Wales. He rendered a great service to Sri Lanka football as the national coach from 1976 to 1979 and1990 to 1998. He also head coached New Radiant FC to the Maldives Championship in 1987 and coached the Maldives national team in 1988.
Kulasena Abeysekara is a well-known football administrator who has held various posts in the Football Federation including the post of Vice President as well as the match commissioner in the AFC/FIFA International matches.
Hailing from the football rich Badulla District is Nimal Wickramathunga whose stay in the national side was cut short because of a serious knee injury. He took up refereeing and became a FIFA referee in 1990 where he officiated in Asian Cup, African Cup of Nations, FIFA U20 World Cup and also in the 1998 France World Cup. He was adjudged AFC’s best assistant referee in 1997.
The National Football Trust which will be an independent fund managed by respected trustees to address special football related programs of benefit to local players and launched the ‘Protect the Goal Campaign’ engaging with the community via the UN AIDS programme.
