The Sunday Morning Sports recently had a chat with the charismatic leader of the Sri Lanka National Men’s Football Team Sujan Perera. As one of the best goalkeepers ever to play the game for our country, Sujan spoke about his humble beginnings and the current state of football in the course of the interview. 

Could you tell us about your childhood?

There are five in my family. Actually, it was my brother who introduced me to football. I studied at Christ Church College, Kalutara. I have been playing football since I was three years old. To be honest, from the very first day, I wanted to become a goalkeeper.

Who influenced you to take up football? 

Like I mentioned earlier, I simply followed the footsteps of my brother who took me to play football. The reason I liked the position of goalkeeper is because it is very different to other positions.

When I joined the national team, there was a goalkeeper named Asanka Viraj. His goalkeeping style really influenced me. 

Could you share a memorable event in your long career? 

We were playing good football from 2018 to 2020. When I think of a moment, the Prime Minister’s Cup comes to mind. We did really well in that tournament and it’s indeed a fond memory in my life. 

How was your football journey during school? 

We were guided by our school coach, Dilan. Under him, we won school tournaments and slowly got promoted up the divisions. Ultimately we ended up in the top division in school football. It was such a wonderful journey. I also started playing club football at the age of 16 for the Kalutara Park Club.

When were you made team captain of the National side?

In 2016, I became the Captain of the National Team, but I have been playing tournaments in the Maldives since 2015. Since I was not in the country, there have been changes, but I was appointed as Captain again in 2018.

We are currently banned by FIFA. What did you feel when you heard the news?

It was really disappointing to hear the news. The state of cricket and football in this country cannot be compared. We begged for matches to be organised. There are people like me in the team who have also sacrificed over many years. Playing for the National Team was the best thing that ever happened to us and that is all we wanted. It is really disappointing to see where we are in football now. 

What’s the main reason for our ranking being so low?

There were many experienced players in the 2019 team, but they were replaced by young players. Therefore, the young players had to bear the weight of the veteran players. At the same time, our performance decreased. That’s why we went down in the rankings. That’s the setback. Also, club matches weren’t played due to the pandemic. These could be reasons.

There was a lot of aid coming from Qatar during the last couple of years; has it helped?

Year 2018 was a big change for the National Team. At that time, the structure of the team changed. Many departments such as the Medical Analysis Department came up. Also, foreign players like Wasim, Dylan, and Hamilton came in, so there was a big change in our team.

We started scoring goals. We started chasing the ball with good attacking phases. We came forward with that structure. We now have about 14 overseas players and we can come to a good place in Asia. To do all that, the ban must be lifted first. 

How about your future in the sport? 

I am now 30 years old and playing in the National Team for the 13th year. I’m hoping to play for three more years. If we manage to win a SAFF cup, I will quit the game. A trophy is missing in my career. There are quite a few young keepers in the ranks. I made sure the players behind are moulded to take over once I retire so I can happily retire. 

You were able to play for clubs in other countries. Was it helpful?

It was really a blessing to be able to compete in another country as a football player. If our administration sends our players out more, the players would get more experience.

Is there anyone you would like to thank? 

My family members, my wife, and all my teachers and also thank you to my teammates and Sri Lankan football fans who have been a big strength to me.