Africa-Press – Uganda. Properly organised development tournaments are crucial in helping young footballers gain competitive experience and make the first important steps along their career pathway, coach Mike Mutebi has said.
While gracing the launch of the Prosper Kids League in Lugogo last week, Mutebi, the immediate former head coach of KCCA under whom the Lugogo side showed remarkable progress, credited the founders of the league for playing an impressive role in the growth of local football.
Mutebi guided KCCA to three league titles, two Uganda Cups, four Super Cups, and one Cecafa Kagame Cup in his five-year tenure, where he used mainly youngsters.
Denis Namanya, the director of Prosper Soccer Academy, who are organising the open tournament, said the inaugural season will have players between the age of three and 12.
The league will take place between February 5 and April 2022 at City High School ground in Kampala.
There will be two groups. The first category will cater for children between three and six years. The other will accommodate players between seven and 12 years.
Development tournaments
Mutebi said every academy should be part of development tournaments, saying they are playing a key role in helping youngsters gain a real taste of a competitive environment.
“I think the Prosper Kids League is such a good tournament, particularly for the young players, because it gives them an opportunity to play under pressure. You can play in training a million times, but you can’t replicate this atmosphere at the ground,” Mutebi said.
There have been training programmes such as this before including the Kampala Juniors League, Kampala Kids League and Friends of Football, among others.
They have been the bedrock of football development nurturing current and former national team players.
Bashir Mutyaba, the Fufa Youth Football development manager, said such training is a crucial phase in a player’s development route.
“Such matches, as well as the preparation involved, are vital in facilitating the process of player development.,” he said.
“The tournaments are true learning experiences for the youngsters – not just technically but also in personal terms, allowing them to share the experience with peers from other teams.”
The tournament has received glowing reference from Mutyaba saying that in addition, referees can while national team selectors and league teams or even schools can scout from the competition.
“The Prosper Kids League is a great idea. The players are given the opportunity to exchange ideas, information and knowledge with the coaches, and also the chance to make new friends,” Mutyaba added.
Namanya believes the tournament can help young players make progress off the pitch.
“Our goal is to raise not only good footballers but good personalities as well, so that they play for the national team in the future,” Namanya hinted.
Organisers say more than 12 teams have confirmed participation, and lathough the teams have not yet been named, the tournament has also opened its door to individual players.
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