* Malawi has failed to achieve international success at all levels due to lack of quality players
* Because of poor player development programme in the absence schools of excellence—FAM President Haiya
Maravi Express
The Luwinga Inclusive Football Academy at Luwinga Technical Centre in Mzuzu was officially opened on Friday, with Football Association of Malawi (FAM) making a commitment that it would ensure the academy grows to become one of the best in the region in terms of enrollment, talent development and export.
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At the opening ceremony, FAM president, Fleetwood Haiya said the academy will help to produce more players for elite perfomance, saying: “The programme, which is running under the FIFA technical development scheme, is key to our strategy of enhancing player development pathways in developing players for elite performance at both national and club level.
“Malawi has failed to achieve international success at all levels due to lack of quality players because of poor player development programme in the absence schools of excellence,” he is quoted as saying by Fam.mw, adding: “Malawi is perhaps the only nation in the region which has no big football stars in the big leagues in Europe, the Middle East and Asia and even Africa”.
“This is due to unavailability of systematic plan to develop, nurture and export best talent for development and elite performance. But that changes now with the establishment of this inclusive academy which is one of the main initiatives in achieving one of our overall outcomes in our newly strategic plan on transforming Malawi football and contributing to the MW2063 goals.
Currently, the academy has 42 players that were scouted across the country and Haiya said Fam will establish more schools of excellence through the partnership with Malawi Schools Sports Association (Massa) and Ministry of Education.
According to Fam.mw, the academy — apart from dishing out fundamental football skills through professional coaching — will also focus on child character development, life skills and mentorship programmes allowing them to grow, not only as athletes but as individuals and responsible citizens too.
The players are also enrolled at Wukani Private School helping them develop academic skills and knowledge.
South African Talent Coach Thabo Senong, who is in charge of training the players and developing the local coaches, told Fam.mw that he was looking forward to nurturing talent: “The talent development scheme programme is making sure that three objectives are achieved — finding the best talent, giving the best talent a chance around Malawi and also trying to get the best talent to train with the best talent.”
Play International is financially supporting the project and its representative, Cyndie Marques said the opening of academy is a milestone: “We use sports as tool for development for the youth,” she said.
Meanwhile, the facility hosted its first major tournament yesterday, the First Capital Bank (FCB) U-19 Rough Diamond National Championship — which the Northern Region Select won.
The team accumulated seven points after winning two games and one draw during the four-team tournament played on round robin basis while Southern Region Select finished second with five points from one win and two draws.—Content by Fam.mw; editing by Maravi Express
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