Football Centres: Ideal locations to launch a Football renaissance!
In our last commentary, the focus was on the grandiose Vision 2030 Plan that is so futuristic, it seems to merge into a virtual reality syndrome of gross proportions. But, what is nearer home, easily accessed and possibly acquired more gainfully, are the several defunct Football Centres dotted around the island. This quite expansive and ambitious stratagem was the brainchild of Football Supremo, Past President of FFSL and FIFA ExCo member, Manilal Vernon Fernando. Fernando understood that, without dedicated Football grounds, Football was doomed forever. The many Football landmarks had either been acquired by the relentless pursuit of Cricket or, development of the cities. And so, it was providential that we saw the entry of a messiah who almost single- handedly began the task of rebuilding a network of Football venues that would serve the sport.
That task began with Football House at the heart of the Sports complex that sur rounds Torrington Square, the new CR&FC pavilion at Longden Place, with reciprocal rights for use of the ground, the Football Training Centre at a Football nerve center in Baddegana, Kotte, the City League development in the cradle of Football, and the Football Centres in Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Badulla, Mannar, Jaf fna, Gampaha and Kelaniya. That alone is a stu- pendous task and history will record the vainglorious endeavour of the gentle giant of Football. Regrettably though, having fallen out of grace with Sepp Blatter’s FIFA, Fernando could not consolidate this feat and today, these edifices of Football have been run over by other interests or, ravaged by the tests of time.
In building these Football Centres, what was not foreseen was the long term legitimacy of the agreements that were necessary to acquire and make them function gainfully. The Fernando formula was to work with local government playgrounds, to partner them in the development and then tie in a Football League of the area to administer and run the facility. On paper, that was indeed an attractive proposition and thus, FIFA, AFC and other Football friends stepped in to see this dream come true. Fernando commanded the GOAL project in the South Asian region and led the development programmes which greatly favoured Sri Lanka. With that kind of authority, many of these projects took off and came to pass, so long as he was the GOAL keeper. But with his exit, these valuable Football resources slowly came apart. The local government bodies did not see any more a reason to keep their part of the bargain and promptly forgot the agreements they signed. The assigned Leagues did not have the vision or capability to sustain the demands such infrastructures require.
Sadly, the FFSL itself lost its way in this mission. It could not secure the agreements that were made and struggled to get control of these valuable assets. The FFSL Regional Development Committee, under which these duties resided, could not grasp the value, nor did they have the knowledge and ability to negotiate some measure of control over these venues. FFSL President Ranjith Rodrigo, who followed, managed to get Kelaniya up and running, but with the GOAL project leaving our shores and a FIFA writ in retreat, the enormous task of maintaining these Centres became a burden. The FFSL never realised the opportunity to convert these fine locations into revenue drivers instead, it complacently let the Centres go to seed. In other cases, vested interests simply placed barriers to any concerted effort at proper management.
This is not to say that all are in disuse or misuse! City League and Kalutara are by far the best run. City League is the nerve centre of Football in the country and its die-hard custodians keep the venues alight in their own fashion. The Kalutara Centre is named the Vernon Fernando Stadium, and remains the epicenter of Football activity in that part of the world. It is hoped that the people who run these two Football venues, safeguard them and put together a development plan to ensure it is well maintained and eventually, developed into proper Football stadium. As it is, the insecurity of these venues on match days leaves much to be desired and foot-brawls are a regular feature!
Football sadly lacks a patriarch of the calibre of President Premadasa, an avid Football lover, who was, of course, responsible for the Sugathadasa Stadium. In Nawalapitiya, the Jayatilake Park is the cynosure of the hill country fans while Minister Aluthgamage held sway! So political patronage seems to be an answer. The present MoS has recently announced plans to develop many Sports Centres across the island. He should take a good, hard look at the Football Centers including Badulla which are primed for accelerated development, so long as Football will be a key beneficiary. Vision 2030 may have overlooked this critical element but, without secure playing venues of international class, Football will remain the neglected playgrounds that poor kids go to play.