Sports
Harnessing Youth Talents Through Soccer Academies
Youth soccer academies are institutions charged with identifying and training budding soccer talents for future use in big football clubs and national teams.
Sports analysts note that these academies have become veritable means of nurturing and grooming promising young footballers until they are mature for maximum exposure in clubs.
They add that many of the renowned soccer stars were discovered and nurtured via this process.
For those that evolved the strategy, their guiding principle is, perhaps, in line with the popular axiom that says “stars are not just born but they are also made’’.
FIFA, the world soccer governing body, apparently shares the vision, as it has consistently been promoting the formation youth academies, so as to identify talented footballers early in life and nurture them for future stardom.
On Feb 1, 2009, FIFA, in an apparent move to protect the age-group teams, particularly those with players below the age of 18 years, decided that there would be an additional need for FIFA’s approval to achieve successful transfers.
In essence, the new rule is aimed at establishing the consent of the players, their parents and national football federations in such transfers and FIFA says that the regulation applies to all its 208 affiliate nations.
FIFA also initiated age-group competitions to sharpen the focus of the young soccer talents, while gauging their performances.
In1985, FIFA created the JVC U-16 World Youth Championship, which was eventually upgraded to become the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Since then, the world soccer body had initiated other global age-group tournaments such as the U-21 World Cup and the Olympic soccer event for U-23s.
Nigeria won the maiden edition of the JVC Cup in China in 1985, while she also won the upgraded FIFA U-17 in 1993 in Japan. The country later won the 2007 edition of the tournament in South Korea.
Sports pundits note that many Nigerian stars like Wilson Oruma, Nduka Ugbade, Victor Igbinoba, Nwankwo Kanu, Victor Ikpeba, Tijani Babangida, Austin ‘Jay Jay” Okocha, Celestine Babayaro and Emmanuel Babayaro were products of the age-group competitions.
The star players were recruited by top European clubs; where they developed their skills and became celebrities.
Nigeria again proved that she had become a force to be reckoned with in football at the 1996 Atlanta Games in the U.S., where she won the Olympic soccer gold. This, she did at the expense of soccer giants like Brazil and Argentina.
Argentina fought back at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing to keep Nigeria in check with a lone goal to clinch the Olympic gold.
Other African countries like Ghana, Cameroon and Gambia have also performed well in global age-group soccer tournaments.
Since then, many academies have sprung up in some African countries, including Nigeria, to produce young soccer talents.
Soccer academies have been established in Ghana, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroons and Nigeria but observers note that their operations have been fraught with some inherent problems that limited their growth.
Soccer pundits note that many of the academies have not been affiliated to clubs, while their products have been unable to play for local or foreign clubs.
They also observe that the standard of the soccer academies in Africa was far below of the standard of those in Europe which strive to achieve a healthy mix of soccer training and schooling.
It was, perhaps, the need to bridge this yawning gap that compelled Gov. Bukola Saraki of Kwara to team up with Kojo Williams, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), to establish a soccer academy known as “Ilorin School of Football Excellence’’.
The academy was patterned after European soccer academies but Saraki and Williams parted ways, shortly before the inauguration of the academy. Even Clemence Westahoff, a one-time Technical Adviser to the Super Eagles, who was engaged as the academy’s Director, soon left after some misunderstanding.
The question, therefore, is: What are the missing links responsible for the problems of soccer academies in Africa?
A recent tour of the German league, “Bundesliga’’, reveals that the German model of soccer academy has some elements that are glaringly deficient in African soccer academies.
Kay Oliver-Lagendoff, Press Officer of the Deutsche Fusball Liga (DFL), otherwise known the Bundesliga, said that the setting up of soccer academies in Germany was part of the conditions specified by all 36 clubs that founded the Bundesliga in 2001.
“It is an integral part of the Bundesliga licensing package that all soccer clubs should have academies.
“After Germany failed at ‘Italia ‘90’ and in some other competitions, it dawned on us that something should be done to re-build our national teams,’’ Oliver-Lagendoff said, adding: “There is also the need to rekindle the interest of youths in organised soccer.’’
Oliver-Lagendoff said that the academies were also meant to serve as a reservoir of players for German clubs.
“It is also part of the strategy to reduce the clubs’ over-dependence on foreign players. The process also aims at raising national teams that comprise appreciable number of youths, who were hitherto derailing and needed to be refocused,’’ he said.
Oliver-Lagendoff said that with the right marketing mix, there was a strong desire to fill stadiums with well-groomed professionals with the right mentality to raise the profile of the Bundesliga.
“It was decided that the academies remain the best option to sustain the supply chain of talents to clubs and national teams. The strategy paid off, as the academies now guarantee a steady source of employment to many German youths,’’ he said.
Also speaking, Kay Dammholz, Vice-President (Sales, Audio Visual Rights) of the Bundesliga, noted that as at Sept. 1, this year, of the 5,000 youths registered in soccer academies across Germany, 110 made it into the Bundesliga, while 88 made it into Bundesliga 2.
He said that the academies’ operations by the clubs had since been standardised.
“They are expected to have U-9, U-10, U-11 teams without any form of restrictions. They also have U-12, U-13, U-14, U-15 squads and one team can have up to 22 players.
“They are also expected to have high-performance categories, made up of U-16, U-17, U-18 and U-19 teams and one team can have up to 22 players.
“They are also to have the U-16 to U-19 category, of which 12 of the players must be eligible to play for a German FA Youth National Team,’’ he said.
Besides, Dammholz said that the Bundesliga had a standing committee that toured the clubs to ensure that recommended standards were strictly adhered to.
“The committee also helps to ensure that the there is a healthy marriage between schooling and soccer,’’ he said.
Stefan Satore, the Head Coach of the FSA Mainz 05 Academy, said that “with the right mix of education and soccer, the academy ensures the breeding of talents for senior teams.
“We work with schools to ensure that our products take their academic work as seriously as they take their soccer careers,’’ hen said.
Commenting on the German experience, Mitchell Obi, a journalist, and Nkechi Obi, a sports marketer, stressed the need to promote a mix of education and sports in Nigeria, so as to ensure that footballers, even after their sporting careers, would be able to migrate to other vocations without problems.
“It is at the youth level that the philosophies of professionalism and team spirit can be instilled in the players,’’ Mitchell said.
Emeka Odikpo, a sports commentator, said: “Although some soccer academies currently exist across Nigeria, they have been largely unable to place their players in local or foreign clubs.
“What then is their use if they unable to place players in clubs?’’ he asked, stressing that “the academies must be affiliates of clubs to facilitate the easy movement of their products into clubs either at home or abroad.
“The Nigeria Football Federation or the National League Board should make it mandatory for clubs to own academies, as this will enable the products of the academies to be gainfully engaged in the clubs. This is the only way to appreciate the academies’ usefulness,’’ Odikpo said.
He noted that all the members of the Swedish team to the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup hosted by Nigeria were all products of their soccer academies, adding: “Their clinical finish at the tournament was an indication of their good upbringing.’’
Nnamdi Okosieme, the Sports Editor of Next Newspapers, who also took part in the German Bundesliga tour, said that “efforts should be made to replicate the German model of soccer academy in Nigeria’’.
Nezianya writes for News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
Tony Nezianya
Sports
Qatar, Morocco To Host U-17 W,Cups For Five Years
The world’s Football Federation (FIFA) has awarded Qatar and Morocco the rights to host the FIFA U-17 men’s and women’s World Cup, respectively, for the next five years from 2025.
FIFA has declared that the Men’s and Women’s Under-17 World Cups will now be held annually, starting from 2025. Both the tournaments have been expanded as 48 teams will participate in the men’s edition whereas, there will be 24 teams vying for glory in the women’s category.
This move marks a departure from the previous biennial schedule as it aims to provide greater opportunities for youth players to showcase their skills on the global stage by ensuring that maximum players get to perform on the biggest stage at the formative stage of their career.
FIFA released a statement that read: “Qatar will host the next five editions from 2025, with Morocco the venue for FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the same period. The FIFA Council has confirmed that the FIFA U-17 World Cup will be expanded to 48 teams and be held annually rather than biennially, as part of the governing body’s steadfast commitment to youth football. It was also confirmed that the next five editions of the competition, starting in 2025, will take place in Qatar.
“Meanwhile, the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which has been expanded to 24 teams and will be played annually as from 2025, will be hosted by Morocco until 2029. These decisions followed a global call for expressions of interest in hosting both competitions, with a focus on leveraging the use of existing footballing infrastructure in the interest of tournament efficiencies and sustainability.”
These decisions reflect the growing influence of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in global football governance. Qatar successfully hosted the men’s 2022 World Cup and Morocco are set to co-host the 2030 edition. It must be noted that both countries have elected representatives on the 37-member Fifa Council. Additionally, Saudi Arabia are expected to host the men’s World Cup in 2034.
The 2024 edition of the Women’s Under-17 World Cup will be hosted by the Dominican Republic, commencing on October 16. Whereas, the previous Men’s Under-17 edition in 2023 was hosted in Indonesia after the largest archipelago nation in the world declined to host the men’s Under-20 World Cup due to geopolitical reasons.
FIFA have announced that they have allotted a record $2.25 billion for the 2023-2026 cycle for investment in football development and has insisted that the institution is on track “to exceed its budgetary target of $11 billion for the 2023-2026 cycle”. Germany & Spain are the reigning champions of the Men’s and Women’s U-17 World Cups respectively.
Sports
KDB Not In Belgium Squad, White Unavailable For England
Manchester City midfielder, Kevin de Bruyne has not been included in the Belgium squad for friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and England this month because of a groin strain.
The 32-year-old has also been ruled out of City’s FA Cup quarter-final with Newcastle United tomorrow.
De Bruyne was substituted 69 minutes into the 1-1 Premier League draw with Liverpool last Sunday.
Belgium face the Republic on 23 March and England at Wembley on 26 March.
Manager Domenico Tedesco said De Bruyne has struggled with the injury for the last few matches.
“We can’t take a risk now and certainly not with Kevin,” he said.
“It is better to give him time to recover well at City and then have him ready for the European Championship.”
Following the international break, third-placed City host Premier League leaders Arsenal on 31 March.
De Bruyne missed the first five months of the season with a hamstring injury before returning in January.
“I don’t know if there is a connection to his hamstring injury,” said Tedesco.
“Yesterday(Wednesday) I spoke to the doctor and Kevin and we decided the risk is too great. It is our responsibility to take into account the player but also the player’s club.”
In another development, England manager Gareth Southgate has said he has no issue with Ben White after the Arsenal defender made himself unavailable for selection for this month’s upcoming friendlies.
Southgate said Arsenal sporting director Edu told him that White did not want to be considered.
The 26-year-old has not been selected for England since the 2022 World Cup.
Sports
Racism: Vinicius Jr Urges UEFA To Take Action
Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr has urged UEFA to take action after again being the subject of alleged racist abuse.
The Brazil forward responded to a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, which appears to show Atletico Madrid fans chanting a racist slur before their Champions League game with Inter Milan.
La Liga said it will report the deplorable racist chants to Spain’s hate crimes prosecutor’s office.
“I hope you have already thought about their punishment UEFA,” said Vinicius.
“It’s a sad reality that [it] even happens in games where I’m not present!”
The 23-year-old included the accounts for European football’s governing body and the Champions League in his post, while in a statement, La Liga said it would report the incident regardless of the fact that the match was played in another competition and that the chants took place outside the stadium.
It added, “La Liga is wholeheartedly committed to making football a hate-free space and will continue to work relentlessly to crack down on racism, homophobia, violence and hatred… whatever the competition.”
Vinicius has been racially abused on numerous occasions across Spain over the last three years.
They include Real’s derby win away over Atletico in September 2022, when Atletico condemned unacceptable chants by a minority of fans towards Vinicius outside their stadium before the game.
Last June, four men were fined 60,001 euros (£51,700) and given a two-year stadium ban for hanging an effigy of Vinicius near Real’s training ground in January 2023.
On the same day, three other people were fined 5,000 euros (£4,300) and banned for one year for making racist gestures during Real’s game at Valencia last May.
This season, there have been reports of more racist abuse towards Vinicius as Real played at Sevilla in October, at Barcelona the following week and at Valencia earlier this month.
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