Durban parents can’t wait to sign up their children with Liverpool Football Club.
As news broke this week that the world famous English Premier League football club was opening academies in Durban and Johannesburg and that it would be starting its first official training programme in the country soon, die-hard fans went into a frenzy.
A top South African coach, the local supporter’s club and the eThekwini Municipality welcomed the news, saying Durban and its youth would benefit from the international training.
The international club’s coaching programme was launched this week to teach children how to play the “Liverpool Way”. A permanent player-development centre will be established in Durban, which will provide a year-round opportunity for local young, talented players to develop their skills through coaching practices, said the club.
Municipal spokeswoman Tozi Mthethwa said they hoped to incorporate the Liverpool Football Club’s coaching programme with the Soccer Academy to be built in the Kings Park precinct.
South Africa now joins several countries around the world – such as Japan, India and even Finland – in establishing a Liverpool football academy.
Former Liverpool star and club ambassador Ian Rush said: “Liverpool have a huge number of fans in South Africa, so it’s fantastic that local young players are going to get the chance to train and develop their skills under our LFC coaches. This is a unique programme and we are confident that it will be well received by the participants.”
On their website Liverpool Football Academy said they aimed to provide the youth – both boys and girls between the ages of five and 14 years of age – with an opportunity to show off their potential, learn new skills and techniques under the guidance of highly qualified Liverpool Football Club coaching staff.
Paulo Cardoso, described as one of the most famous youth development technical directors and head scout at Liverpool Football Club, is expected to be among the coaches at the academy.
The training is expected to be similar to the coaching practices taught to the likes of Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Raheem Sterling.
Barely hours after the announcement was made supporters took to the official Facebook page, wanting to sign their children up.
Charles Goliath wrote: “Please keep me updated as I would love my 3 sons to attend the Durban training,” while Navisha Chowtee said: “Hi my son loves soccer and is a huge fan. There is no soccer offered in our area for younger kids. Please let me know how to enrol.”
Durban-born SuperSport United and former Bafana coach Gordon Igesund, who has a long history of coaching at Durban clubs, said: “It’s always great to get foreign teams coming to the country and teaching children how to play. They mix with our local teams and we learn new things. The young players and young coaches, especially, benefit from this kind of interaction.”
eThekwini municipal Speaker Logie Naidoo said Durban’s youth would be the biggest winner in the programme.
“Liverpool is one of the biggest clubs in the world, and for them to come to Durban and set up an academy is a major deal for the city. However, our youth will benefit the most,” said Naidoo.Naidoo said KZN had many talented players who left the province to join bigger teams in Gauteng.
“Hopefully this investment in football in KZN will keep our players here, draw other talented people here and raise the bar in football in the country.”
The Durban Liverpool Supporters Club was equally excited.
“It’s really great to see such a positive strengthening relationship, not only between our club and our country, but also between the youth and the experienced – and all in the name of the beautiful game under the LFC banner,” said Linus Naik, chairman of the club.
“Our supporters club is made up of young and old from all races.
“Apart from the youth development programme, long-term fans would be able to have their children or even grandchildren eligible to be trained by the players and coaches whom they have admired for years.”
Chantel Govender, club treasurer, said: “It will be great for our kids to get the same world class training as others around the world. Also, it gives our children who love the game the incentive to want to one day be playing the game at the level they see on TV.” - Independent on Saturday