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Africa’s youth football growth hampered by lack of performance data: Panelists

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The lack of performance data analysis from the grassroots level in Africa hinders the development and growth of football on the continent. That’s according to some of the panelists during roundtable discussions on the implementation of digital change in Africa at the World Football Summit.

The two-day summit kicked off in the Durban International Convention Centre, the first time it is held on African soil.

Football is a thriving multi-billion rand industry. With an estimated 3.5 billion people worldwide who follow the game. Researchers say the global football market reached just over R52 billion in 2021.

More than 80 panelists have gathered to discuss a wide range of topics including players’ finances, their contracts and coaches’ qualifications.

Youth development dominated proceedings, with many panelists who are data analysis, blaming the lack of resources and performance data for players in Africa, for the slow growth of football on the continent.

In Africa, most players are discovered through scouts but there is no data on the recruitment of players.

“It’s time that Africa in collaboration with big data companies finds a way to collaborate. If data is really important why don’t we then engage with the federation or government to now start gathering and populating this information.

“If top teams in Europe want to sign players based on data then we will have a data set of players and youngsters, building up from the age of 12 to 18,” says Mamelodi Sundowns Senior performance analyst, Goolam Valodia.

Coaches also blamed poor compensation in players’ contracts as contributory factors to the exodus of the continent’s talent to Europe.
Jomo Sono also called for school sports and the grassroots level to be coached by qualified coaches.

“At the schools level, even at SAFA level, the people who are coaching are people who have passion about the sport. They do it for the love of football and I am raising this issue because since I am relegated I see a lot of funny things. Things like their behaviour you can see that they are not coaches,” says Jomo Sono – the owner of Jomo Cosmos.

Women’s development in the sport was also in sharp focus.

“We are going to realise the huge potential that women’s sport have and really begin to see a lot of sponsorship coming through, but also stopping those discrimination and unequal development in sports generally that we normally see,” says KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube.

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