International soccer coaches chuffed with local talent
England development coaches happy with the improved level of football in SA.
Local football talent is slowly reaching the standard of the world’s best, according to the three international coaches from England who gave a thumbs up to South African football during their visit to the country.
West Bromwich Football Club development coaches, Ryan Maye and Dave Lawrence, alongside Oxford United coach, Kalvin Maye held a coaching clinic at Education Through Soccer (ETS) in Ruimsig where they shared their knowledge of football with the promising young players.
The coaching programme was part of an international outreach project founded by the Albion Foundation which conducts community projects on behalf of West Bromwich. The project is spearheaded by Dave Lawrence who goes around the world conducting football education programmes.
Kalvin, who was grateful for the opportunity said, “My brother, Ryan, invited me to come and experience what South Africa has, and also see what I can bring from an Oxford United academy set up at Cattery in England, at a lower level than that at West Bromwich.”
Kalvin added that this coaching trip was not about them – it was for the benefit of local coaches and players, and to give them a glimpse of how they train in England.
“We’ve put together some ideas and sessions that we will demonstrate, but it really isn’t about us putting on the sessions, it’s about us giving local guys (coaches) an idea of the things we do in England.
They can hopefully take away the things they learn and teach their players,” Kalvin explained.
The West Bromwich development coaches last visited the country in 2010 during the World Cup glory days.
The coaches told Roodepoort Northsider they were impressed with the improvement in the level of talent. However, due to Fifa policies and education, they indicated that they could not scout for young players.
“The problem that we have is that we can’t sign the boys because there’s a lot of Fifa regulations now,” said Ryan, adding that it is also difficult to sign youth players who are under the age of 18 to the Premier League.
Shawn Tuffney, who coaches the boys with top development coach, Paradise Serame Moeketsi, said it is important to bring international coaches to the country in order to learn from them. “It is important to bring new trends into the country and see where we are falling behind in terms of what international coaches are doing. This will enable us to close the gap in our current level of football,” he concluded.
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