Namibia needs youth teams

THE technical director of the Namibia Football Association, Klaus Staerk, has called on Premier League clubs to introduce youth teams saying that they planned to make it compulsory in the future.

Staerk was speaking at the launch of the Khomas U/17 Football League yesterday.
‘In future, a football club playing in the highest league which is not working on development, will not receive a licence. This is still my personal view, but from 2010 each Premier League club should have an U/19 team and by 2011 an U/17 team,’ he said.
Staerk said a lot of work still needed to be done to develop youth football in Namibia, but they were on the right track.
‘I am very proud and happy that this league will start and we should now aim to start an U/15 league in 2010 while also starting junior leagues in other regions of Namibia,’ he said.
‘We must keep our players busy in competitions and training and our clubs should work closer with schools. Our aim is to have more national teams and to develop and educate our young players,’ he said.
Staerk said that youth leagues in Europe already start at U/7 and U/9 level and that Namibia also had to move in that direction.
The 2009 Khomas U/17 Football League, which takes place for the third successive year, will kick off this weekend, with a total of 24 teams registered for the new season.
They include some Premier League teams like the defending champions Orlando Pirates, Ramblers, African Stars and SKW, as well as first- and second-division teams and community, school and academy teams.
The league will be run by Jakes Amaning, Timo Tjongarero and Isack Hamata, while the Windhoek Municipality also expressed its support by offering to lease their stadiums and football fields at reduced rates.
Hamata said that the Khomas U/17 League had played an important role in developing young footballers and keeping the youth off the street.
‘We already have a few players lighting up the Premier League, who developed from the Khomas U/17 League. Our league keeps 800 kids off the streets – every week they nearly train to death and they don’t have time to go out. I’d say we have reduced the crime rate a lot,’ he said.
Amaning said the main challenges they faced included the lack of a sponsor as well as age cheating.
‘We agreed that if we want to develop football we must get rid of age cheating. I’m very proud to say that two of our players, Sydney Urikhob and Eslin Kamuhanga have been selected for the senior Brave Warriors team, while there are several more playing in the Premier League now. Our dream is to see them play professional football,’ he said.
Hamata added that they had expelled 12 players last season who had cheated about their age and that they were serious about stamping it out. But he called on parents, schools and clubs to assist them in this regard.
He said that the NFA was responsible for all football leagues in Namibia and advised clubs not to participate in leagues that do not fall under the NFA.
– www.namibiasport.com.na