Dudley Steinwall Head Coach Sri Lanka Football

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Dudley Steinwall began playing football at the tender age of 6 while attending St. John’ Boys School in Anuradhapura. He wanted to play alongside the older boys, but they were reluctant to take him into their games out of concern for the young boy. This did not deter the young Dudley and he persevered to play with the older boys. This was his initiation to the sport of football that would later be an integral part of his life.

Dudley played for his school U-13 team right up to the U-17 team. His first international tour was with the Under 17 Sri Lanka Schools Team to Malaysia. In 1992, he captained the Sri Lanka Schools Team in Thailand.

After his school career, Dudley played for Renown Football Club for ten years, one year for Saunders Football Club and three years for Negombo South Football Club and 3 years for Ratnam Sports Club. In Anuradhapura Dudley played for Sputnik Football Club. In the international arena, Dudley has represented Sri Lanka in Football for 20 years. From the year 2002 till the year 2007, Dudley was the Sri Lanka Football Captain. Dudley Steinwall was appointed as the Head Coach of the Sri Lanka Football team on

Fitness & Sports: What are your responsibilities as Head Coach of the Sri Lanka Football Team?

Dudley Steinwall: My main responsibility is choosing players from every nook and corner in Sri Lanka and training them up to the standard required for the national team. After that I have to train them further to be able to compete internationally. Right now I am laying down the format for preparing the national team. Choosing the correct players is the most important task. This is to get 15 to 20 of the best footballers in the country. I have given my selection criteria to the Football Federation. If I am successful in selecting the correct players, it will be a good start to bring glory to Sri Lanka. I select players from the U-19 team, The Champions Cup League and the Football Association (FA) Cup. The selection criteria should be a very fair process, especially as it is for the national team.

Technical ability
Tactical ability
Mental toughness and reaction
Physical Condition

F&S: What are your short term and long term goals for the National Side?

DS: My immediate goal is to bring the team to the finals of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Games. I have requested for training camps in Qatar, Thailand, Indonesia and Bahrain to prepare for this. I have also requested for 20 international (friendly) matches to be played in different countries. In addition to this we have invitations for international tournaments. This will give our footballers the training and exposure to achieve our goals.

My biggest long term goal is to uplift the standard of football in Sri Lanka as well as improve the ability of our players to play well under pressure. When my tenure as football coach draws to a close I want to hand a strong football team to the new head coach.

F&S: What are your suggestions to improve the quality of football in Sri Lanka?

DS: At the moment we do not have a professional football league. There are no full time players as all the players are employed to make ends meet. They finish their jobs and then come to practice. The players find it difficult to come to training at the set time because of their jobs.

If we have a professional league then players can focus on football as their minds will be free from the burden of trying to make a living. After practices players need to rest both mind and body. Right now this is not happening.

With a professional football league comes structured training. Getting the players ready for international matches takes 4-5 months of continuous training. A high standard of football played by the clubs will definitely ensure that we have a strong national side.

F&S: Do we currently have a good pool of footballers to choose from?

DS: Our football players meet the standards required for the local tournaments. We do have a few players who are able to meet international standards. To get more players up to international standards, I am trying to build a young side where the players are mostly between the ages of 20-23 years. I propose more foreign matches to strengthen this team. If we can groom this young team then we can go to the finals of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Games.

F&S: How many times a week and how many times per day, does the team train (Football practices and physical training)?

DS: The team trains 5 to 6 days a week with matches being played over the weekend. During the Premier League the team trains once a day and when the league is over they train twice a day for the national side.

F&S: As a coach how important do you rate physical fitness in your players?

DS: The sport of Football has evolved to a very physical game. To compete at international level, the players have to be in peak physical condition. We have to train for:

Endurance
Speed
Power
Agility
Mobility

I have requested for a strength and conditioning coach to assist me in this aspect of training.

F&S: In order to build cardiovascular fitness for football, what exercises do you recommend?

DS: To build endurance we play 4 A- Side Football to increase the heart rate up to 140-160 beats per minute for 5 minutes. Then we take a rest and then repeat.

F&S:Do you see weight training as an important aspect of training for football?

DS: Our strengths levels are far below in comparison to other international players. After 50 minutes of play our physical strength is depleted. Being physically strong is very important for the modern style of football which has become a very physical game. However, strength training should be football specific. We need to structure strength training as per the requirements of the sport.

F&S: How many coaches are there and what are their roles?

DS: My coaching team consists of an assistant coach and the goal keeping coach. The masseur, physio and sports doctor play vital roles in keeping the players fit and healthy.

F&S: As football is a team game, how do you instill team spirit so players will play as a team and achieve results?

DS: At times when we reside in our training facility in Beddeganna, our meals are had together. We participate in activities as one team as opposed to parcipating in activities and eating meals in different groups and at different times. We foster a family atmosphere. The coaching staff maintain a very close rapport with the players.

F&S: Do our players follow international football?

DS: Yes, we follow the English Premier League and the Spanish League. This is an important activity as we can learn from the different styles of football.

F&S: Do you have an idea for our players to play in the English Premier League in the future?

DS: At the moment we do not have all the facilities to build our players to that level. We are looking for that natural born talent. This approach should change and we should focus on grooming players from childhood. With good facilities and well-structured training then yes, we can achieve this dream.

F&S: Words of advice to uplift football in Sri Lanka?

DS: I tell my players to give their best at the matches. At practice, work hard to achieve this, and then we will become a very strong football side. My advice to the parents of the young footballers is to please encourage your children. This is very important. Your encouragement as parents will go a long way in making your children star players.

Saman. M.T Silva plays an important role in looking after the injuries of our football team and getting them back on the field. Here is what he has to say…

Fitness & Sports: Do you love your job?

Saman Silva: Football is the world’s number 1 sport and I am very happy to be in this position to help our football team.

F&S: What are the challenges you face?

SS: As football is a contact sport, many injuries occur on the field, especially injuries to the lower body. Helping the players recover as quickly as possible from these injuries, especially after twisting an ankle, is the most challenging situation for me.