I am not sure if readers in South Africa have ever come across the term “Youth Scouting”.
Even devoted soccer lovers with decades or years of following the game could easily be lost if they were asked to say what “Youth Scouting” entails in the context of managing and leading a football club or national team.
By all accounts, when I grew up playing football in the townships of Cape Town in the 1980s there wasn’t much “Youth Scouting” around.
In the rare instances where Youth Scouting existed, it was neither visible nor inclusive enough to give little upcoming stars a chance to shine.
And by the look of things, some progress has been made since South Africa was readmitted into international football in 1992.
Soccer academies are springing up in all parts of the country.
Even in the rest of the African continent, much has been achieved regarding the development of youth stars who ply their trade in top leagues across the globe.
It has been a marked improvement since Zaire became the first African country to participate in a FIFA Soccer World Cup in 1974.
Yet, it must be mentioned that the number of kids and youths excluded from opportunities to progress in their football careers is alarmingly high, to say the least.
The unavailability and inaccessibility of Academies in many communities; the lack of football in many schools and the lack of support from governments and national associations are a disservice to
millions if not billions of children and youths around the world.
This is not just bad for the children and youths but also limits the growth and development of football.
We have seen big football clubs and national teams followed by millions getting multiple and multi-million deals due to the massive fanbase these brands enjoy.
Local Football Associations’ (LFAs), partners’, and stakeholders’ innovations are crucial for player identification and evaluation.
Even the number of well-qualified Youth Scouts is another area of great concern, which requires the LFAs and its partners and stakeholders to overcome if football is to thrive and benefit everybody in society.
There’s also an obligation for all football clubs to be run and managed professionally.
If they truly love the game and are committed to the welfare and well-being of all players.
On this front, if clubs are managed professionally chances of sustainability increase putting clubs in good stead to get sponsorship deals.
Other spin-offs of professional management range from a successful internal scouting programme for clubs, where players don’t fall through the cracks at academies and/or development structures, but actually graduate to bigger things.
For all these things to materialize, clubs would have to invest in Adult Education and related educational football programmes for the management and players.
An evidence-based and scientific study and application of international best practices on everything related to football and player development must form part of strategic plans.
This is where the likes of V Agency, the global brand which provides sport consulting and adult education programs, must be put in motion for maximum growth, as their globally recognised, Introduction to International Football Scouting Course is fast confirming, with overwhelming worldwide support and response.
We need to produce, not just star players but also build up quality footballers who will continue to add value to the “Beautiful Game” long after their professional playing days are over.
*The writer of this article Thandisizwe Mgudlwa is a participant in the Introduction to International Football Scouting Course. He holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship from the Regenesys Business School. The views expressed by Thandisizwe Mgudlwa are not necessarily those of The Bulrushes
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