Cape Town - Cape Town City have taken the first step towards building a squad with an increased number of players from the Mother City.
The new PSL club is confident the development journey it has embarked upon will nurture and expose top-class Cape footballers capable of holding their own in the PSL, with some even going on to achieve overseas success.
On Wednesday, City owner John Comitis launched the DreamClub 100 programme. It’s essentially an extension of what he started when he was a director at FC Cape Town last year.
Now, the veteran football administrator is continuing his vision of creating a platform for players to go from the streets of township football to the PSL, and the ultimate goal of exhibiting their skills on the European stage.
There are about 400 amateur football clubs playing under the auspices of Safa-Cape Town. With Comitis’ project, 100 clubs will be invited to join the programme.
In addition to their Safa-CT membership, the clubs will then also be affiliated to City, which will afford them quite a few other benefits as well.
The main aspect of the DreamClub 100 initiative is that eventually the Under-16 teams of 16 of the 100 clubs will qualify for the Elite 16-team DreamClub tournament. At this tournament, the 20 best players will be selected to be part of the Cape Town City Elite Academy.
And from this academy, City will be able to draw on up-and-coming talent for the PSL club and, if the players are good enough, an opportunity to take them to Europe.
“For us, as Safa-CT, it has been overwhelming to see a professional club embrace community football the way Cape Town City has done through this programme,” said Safa-CT president Norman Arendse.
“We did not hesitate to endorse the programme and the tournament when we realised the ongoing benefits that the affiliated clubs would enjoy.”
In the future, City are keen to tap into the seemingly endless conveyor belt of football talent in the Cape. Comitis is confident that once this programme is underway, it will have the added advantage of growing the club’s fanbase.
“This is our entire scouting plan,” said Comitis. “The dream for all young players with raw talent in Cape Town has become a reality, with this opportunity to develop into world-class players.
“Kit and balls will be sponsored to the clubs, and there will be coaching sessions for the players, as well as coaching-the-coaches clinics.”
Cape Times