FIFA High Performance expert, Cayl Coetzee, has hailed the ongoing KGL Foundation Inter-Regional U17 talent identification Championship as an excellent initiative by the Ghana Football Association.
Coetzee was left impressed with the pool of Ghanaian talents on display after watching Tuesday's Group A games involving Northern Region and Ashanti Region as well as Central and Brong Ahafo Regions at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence at Prampram.
He underscored the competitiveness of the Championship as the GFA keeps sharpening its focus on youth football funded by the KGL Foundation.
He also highlighted the impressive performances of the Catch Them Young Referees who have taken centre stage at this year's competition. The policy is the brainchild of GFA President, Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, aimed at nurturing budding referees.
"It's an excellent initiative. It's been brilliant to see that the teams have been so competitive, looking at the scorelines recorded. Such an initiative really deserves more investment. I think the young players have done very well," Cayl Coetzee told ghanafa.org
"We watched Ashanti Region versus Northern Region today and saw a player score a phenomenal hat-trick. It's been double delight observing the products of the Catch Them Young Refereeing programme with a group of 15 and 16 year old girls refereeing an U17 Boys match and you would have thought that they were professional referees.
"The standard of refereeing and the level of competition and coaching, was phenomenal to see and it can only improve football in the long term."
He also hailed the initiative which is a key phase of FIFA's Talent Development Scheme (TDS) by the GFA, aimed at talent identification and development of the next generation of top football stars.
"FIFA's biggest investment at the moment, and over the last few years, is the Talent Development Scheme (TDS). Barely a week ago, we saw the completion of the first ever Elite Girls U15 competition, and we're building to the Girls U17 and the Boys U15 to come as well."
"For us, at FIFA, it's a huge investment. It's important to see our Member Associations (MA's) developing and you will never get that unless you pitch the best against the best; this is what this tournament promises and provides." he concluded.
The KGL Foundation Inter-Regional U17 Colts Championship, launched in 2021, has been an avenue for talent discovery for clubs, particularly Premier and Division One League clubs, with several players being beneficiaries of the esteemed competition.
The 12-day Championship, runs till Thursday August 8, 2024.
GFA Communications