Colombo Veterans Football Club led by former National team defender Jagath Rohana will be taking part in the International Masters Soccer tournament to be hosted by India in Cochin from November 8th to 10th. This year’s tourney has attracted ten team including a Veterans team from England.
Four time International Masters Champions Colombo Veterans will be aiming to win the championship for the fifth time as they boast of some best former national and club players. But it won’t be easy for them as a team from Britain participating here for the first time will be a tough side to beat. Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Moritius, former champions Singapore, South Africa, UAE, and the hosts India are the other nations which have forwarded veterans teams this year.
The teams will be divided into two groups and the first round will be played on a league basis and the two group leaders will play each other in the final to determine the champion.
Colombo Veterans FC taking part in this tournament from the inception won the inaugural International Masters Soccer Tournament which was held in Singapore in 2006. They were joint champions with Singapore in 2008 and became champions in 2011 and last year in Dubai. Apart from this Colombo Veteranas F.C were runners - up in 2007, 2012, 2103 and 2015.
This year too Colombo Veterans FC will field almost the same team that won the International Soccer Masters Tournament under the theme of Goodwill Soccer Festival in Dubai last year.
Due to inclement weather Colombo Veterans FC players are finding it difficult to have regular practices. But the Coach cum player and former Sri Lanka Youth player M. Faiz and the team manager Feroze Inham are confident that their team would perform well and clinch the title for the fifth time.
The team is sponsored by the founder and president of Colombo Veterans FC, Ramanathan Puwanenthiran who is also a team member. The sponsorship includes airfare, accommodation and all other sundry expenses for the tour party while in India.
Puwanenthiran fondly known as Puhal is a great promoter of football founded this club to ensure the retired soccerites to enjoy their lives and not be isolated.
Colombo Veterans FC squad: Jagath Rohan (Skipper), Joseph Shanthakumar (Rasa), Jayashantha Liyanage, Priyantha Liyanage (Chutta), Anton Silva, Karuppan Ramar, M. H. Roomy (all former soccer nationals), Mohammed Faiz (Coach cum player), Maxie Latran, Dhammika Athukorale, Gunatillake Bandara, Vijaya Baskar, Mohammed Imthishan (Udaya), Mohammed Rishan, Sisira Kumara, Mohammed Hishamudeen, Prasanna Hettiarachchi, Tuan Haladeen, and Samantha Perera. Manager: Feroze Inham.
The team will leave for Cochin on Thursday.