Top coaches in SA

professional footballers.
Monk and Potts are both from top UK-based soccer academy, Concept 4 Soccer International, which scouts and identifies talented players for a number of English clubs and other top teams across Europe and they will be in South Africa next week to run the trial camps in conjunction with Zimbabwe’s World Wide Scholarships Group.

Former CAPS United midfielder Butler Masango, who now works as a full-time coach at the Shaun Bartlett Football Academy in Johannesburg, will also be part of the trial camps which are set to run from May 31 to June 4 at the University of Johannesburg.

Masango, who is now based in Johannesburg, yesterday described the holding of the trial camps as “a great opportunity for talented young players” which they can use as a springboard to become professional footballers overseas.

Masango will be part of the trial camps as he has been asked to encourage top and upcoming players, including those from Zimbabwe, to attend this event. He will also mobilise players to attend the camp and assist the coaches in other small aspects during the trials.

In fact, Zimbabwe’s World Wide Scholarships Group, in association with Concept 4 Soccer International, and through their partnerships and contacts with the elite UK professional football clubs, will conduct two trial camps at the University of Johannesburg with the first one open for any player and the second for the invited ones only. The first trial camp will be held on May 31 and June 1 and the second one for the invited players will be conducted on June 3 and 4.

All agents in Africa, including those from Zimbabwe, have been sent invitations where they are only allowed to bring five players of their choice to the event at the University of Johannesburg.

Munya Maraire, the president of World Wide Scholarships Group, recently said the objectives of the trial camps are to identify Africa’s top players from ages 10 to 23 and then link them up with top European clubs.

“The World Wide Scholarships Group, through our professional management division, have now partnered with UK-based Concept 4 Soccer International and this relationship has now enabled us to guarantee trials for players on a yearly basis based on their performance.

“As you know, from before, today the road to Europe for our (Zimbabwean) players and other players in Africa has been long and sometimes far-fetched with few players from Africa being able to get this opportunity. This is now in the past due to our initiative which allows these players to first have their trials here in Africa before we send them overseas.

“Our trials opportunity will, among other things, identify the level and ability of each player on the European grading scale, guarantee a selected talented player of a fair chance at being scouted for professional teams in Europe by being invited to the Concept 4 Soccer International Residential trials in the UK in July.

“We also guarantee trials once the player is vetted through our verification system and profile is evaluated. And what will happen to the selected players? Selected players will be linked with professional trials opportunities,” Maraire said.

Each player will pay US$250 for the trial camps which will be conducted by Concept 4 Soccer International director Stuart Monk, the brother to Gary Monk, who plays for English Premiership side Swansea.

Stuart Monk recently said from England: “Concept 4 Soccer International residential courses offer players (including goalkeepers) the unique opportunity to develop and showcase their soccer skills in front of some of the most highly regarded professional coaches in the UK.

“We have also invited scouts from professional clubs to attend this residential course. Tottenham Hotspur, Millwall and Brighton & Hove Albion are some of the first clubs to confirm that they will be attending. This means you (the players) will be watched and coached by some of the best scouts and coaches in the UK and if they think that you are good enough and if you make a good impression on this residential course, the coaches will use their contacts to get you a trial at a professional club.”

Stuart Monk also said that they were proud to offer teams and individuals from anywhere in Africa a unique opportunity to develop and showcase their soccer skills under the supervision of some of the most highly regarded professional coaches in the UK. This means the players will be watched and coached by professional coaches and if they think that they are good enough and if they make a good impression during this five-day soccer camp in Johannesburg next week, the coaches will use their contacts to get them a trial at an international professional club.

“Our soccer trial camps are tailored for the needs of both intermediate and advanced players. The nature of this programme is physically demanding and it is recommended that players are in good physical condition. Our soccer trial camps are specifically created to improve the all-round technical ability and knowledge of the players attending,” Monk said.