Matara City Club moves to Champions league

by Priyan de Silva, Matara Sports Corr.

Matara City Club (MCC) was formed by Deshamanya M.N.M. Najeeb Deen with the intention of uniting the football players and their supporters of Matara. The football clubs and the players in Kopparawatta, Meddawatta and Kotuwegoda in Matara could not advance in the national tournaments as the best players were representing different clubs. It was Najeeb's dream to see the best footballers in Matara play for one team and stamp their supremacy in the national football arena.

The dream has become a reality with the Matara City Club which started off in division III in 2009 advancing to Division II in 2011 and becoming runners-up in the tournament. The MCC was promoted to Division I in 2012 and were given a berth in the Premier League in 2013 as high performers.

The rapid advancement of the club is due to the dedication of the players who could spend most of their time for practices without any worry or financial restraints. It is known that most of the players have been employed by Deen Brothers Imports Pvt Ltd a family business headed by Najeeb.

Najeeb Deen was the founder President of the Matara City Club and held the post for four years and handed over the post to his childhood friend Parliamentarian Sanath Jayasuriya who has promised to see football in Matara reach a new height.

Najeeb remains the chief executive officer of the club and Deen Brothers Imports Pvt Limited is the main sponsor of the team.

Saman Indika an old boy of St. Servatius College, Matara, has led the Matara City Club (MCC) team from its inception. He played for the St. Servatius team from 1992 to 1995 and was a member of the Sri Lanka Schools team in 1995. He has the experience of playing for Ratnam SC, Police Sports Club and Matara Sports Club in the past.

Presently he is the football coach of St. Servatius College.

Gayanthika Ranasinghe is the vice captain of the team. He is an old boy of St Thomas' College, Matara.

Gayanthika has led the college football team in all age groups. He has played for Matara Sports Club (MCC), Jupiter SC and Blue Star SC, prior to joining the Matara City Club. Gayanthika was a member of the Sri Lanka Youth Football Team in 2003/2004 and a member of the team that won the Southern Province Championship in 2011.

The three foreigners contracted to play for MCC are goal-keeper A. Prince, a Ghanian, striker Victo Ikenna from Nigeria and another Ghanian B. Kwabenna who plays in mid-field position.

The Matara City Club (MCC) team for the 2013 season comprises of Strikers - Brian Weerappulli, Nuwan Sasikapriya, M.A.M. Farzeen, R.B. Weerappulli, Anurudhdha Dissanayake, Charith Weerappulli, K.D. Saliju, O. Victor Ikenna.

Mid-field: Saman Indika (Captain), Gayanthika Ranasinghe, Dimuthu Devanarayana, Nishan Chaminda, A.D. Prabath, B. Kwabena.

Defenders: Nilanga Sandeepa, Mohamed Nazeem, M.G. Dinesh, Suresh Kumara, Chamath Naveenda, N.P. Ranasinghe, Denuwan de Silva, Saman Arachchige.Goal Keepers: A. Prince, S. Hettiarachchi, Lasantha Nadeepa.Anthony Brian Weerappulli, an old boy of St. Thomas' College, Matara continues as coach for the fifth season. Brian Weerappulli played for STC Matara from 1983 onwards and represented the Navy football team from 1998 and captained it in 2000/2001. He captained and coached the Matara Sports Club team in 2004/2005.

At present he is coaching the Rahula College team in addition to the Matara City Club. He is also the junior football coach for Matara district appointed by the Football Federation of Sri Lanka.

Another Old Thomian and Sri Lanka football 'Cap' K.D. Lalith is the trainer. At present he coaches the football team at his alma mater STC Matara.

The team is managed by Nuwaizer Deen. Matara City Club has a vision for the future. More than 100 youngsters attend practices at the club's academy. And it is evident that the future of Matara City Club is bright and secure with an abundance of up-and-coming youngsters to pick from in the future.