Neglect of Youth Football a grave injustice!

I was once again impressed with the feature in the ST of the 19 Nov which captures the miserable state into which Youth Football in this country has descended. While the reasons adduced to this plight should not be attributed directly to the current football administration, the real reasons lie with successive administrators who have not fully understood that the development of any sport begins from the grassroots.

The FFSL has had a Grassroots Programme for a long time but it lacks the long term vision and merely carries on to provide sustenance to a few coordinators and so called coaches who are more concerned in prolonging their subsistence than being a part of a holistic plan that would transform the value and quality of the sport.

The Sri Lanka Schools Football Association (SLFSA) too must be faulted for the pathetic way they run schools football, constantly badgered by errant FFSL officials who have failed to mould an effective partnership with their Junior Member. The FFSL has tried to take over rather than handhold the SLFSA; thereby constantly stuck in an antagonistic relationship. The SLSFA on their own lack the resources to conduct a quality program that involves schools officials, coaches, referees, playgrounds, players and equipment. A few Schools can muster these necessities but the vast number of rural schools simply cannot foot the bill and thus a haphazard program is conducted over prolonged periods without any value or purpose.

As proposed by KornerKick, the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Sports (MOS) must sit together with FFSL and SLSFA and agree on a common program of development, competition and