Last chance saloon for football coach Packeer Ali

National football coach Nizam Packeer Ali gets a chance to redeem himself after the debacle at the South Asian Games (SAG) when Sri Lanka take part in the Bangabandhu Gold Cup to be held in Bangladesh from January 15 to 25.

This will be the final assignment for Packeer Ali whose contract expires in March, according to Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) officials.

The former Sri Lanka full back has been at odds with FFSL officials and local media after a mixed performance by the national team since he took charge in February 2018. There were conflicting reports that he had been targets to achieve at the SAFF Cup and SAG.

Nevertheless, Sri Lanka performed creditably at the SAFF Cup in Bangladesh reaching the semifinals where they lost to the hosts by

The Sri Lanka tour squad

Bammanne Mudiyanselage Charitha Bandara Rathnayake, Mohommadu Kaseer Mohamadu Ishan, Pathiranage Woranda Manaram Perera, Mohammadu Naizer Mohamed Fazal (captain), Sebamalainayakam Jude Supan, Santhiya Mariyathas Nitharshan, Fernando Kurukulasuriya Nicholus Harsha, Razooniya Mohamed Shabeer, Mohamed Azar Mohamed Shaheel, Migalahandige Chalana Chameera, Mohamed Asmil Khalid Asmil, Kurukulasuriyage Dilip Suraj Pieris, Herath Mudiyanselage Amith Kumara, Umagiliyage Chathura Lakshan Dananjaya, Herath Musiyanselage Prabath Ruwan Arunasiri, Mohamed Faizer Mohamed Aman, Mallika a toss of a coin and also drew with Maldives the eventual champions.

Under his tenure Sri Lanka advanced to the second round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers but he was crucified after their failure at the SAG in Nepal in the under 23 tournament which comprised mostly senior national players.

Packeer Ali who enjoyed success as a player and coach in Bangladesh, is credited with bringing discipline into the team and picking talent from around the island but failed to turn Sri Lanka's fortunes.

The national team will leave for Dhaka on January 14 and will face Palestine on January 17 and Bangladesh on January 19 having been drawn in group A. Burundi, Mauritius and Seychelles are in group B of this six-nation tournament.

Arachcchige Nuwan Gimhana, Tharmakulanathan Kajakopan, Johar Mohamed Zarwan, Voctor Ratnasingam James Edison Figurado, Sebamalainayagam Gnanaruban, Razeek Ahmed Waseem,Sundararaj Niresh

Officials:

Shanmugam Pathmanathan (Team Manager), Mohamed Nizam Packeer Ali (Head Coach), Atuwagedara Sampath Buddika Bandara (Goal Keeper Trainer), Muhiseen Abdul Barsith (Physio), Agampodi Janaka Sanjaya Silva (Asst Coach), Kodituwakku Don Tissa Donald Damian (Team Official), Anura de Silva (President - FFSL), Mohamed Pakkeer Mohamed Fahim (Kit Boy)

SP