The Namibia Football Association (NFA) will participate in the FIFA High performance project academy analysis following the successful submission of its application to partake in the project.
On 20 June 2020, a local panel of specialists in administration and technical came together to shortlist 13 academies after recommendations came through from the various regional chairpersons that had been invited to submit applications for participation in the programme.
NFA acting technical director Jaqueline Shipanga in her address to the panel of specialists said; “Implementing a new programme to promote talent development requires a good understanding of the football ecosystem in each country and the various factors driving local talent development. It is important that we are inclusive, transparent and based our selection on facts and statistics in order to support those academies that have been contributing to identifying and developing talent in our country.”
Shipanga roped in the services of FIFA regional instructor for administration Mathew Haikali as project coordinator, CAF instructor Willem Kapukare and national teams fitness and conditioning coach Charl Botha to all be available to assist the academies to ensure both men and women football benefit, including all national teams, domestic leagues as well as setting up more scouting opportunities for boys and girls across the country.
For the Academy analysis, FIFA is partnering with the Belgian company Double Pass, 20 years of experience in analysing and optimising talent development systems more than 2 300 analysis worldwide in 18 countries over five continents.
As such, the panel of specialists was tasked with proposing 13 academies, which will be equally surveyed (online approach), with three of them to have an additional interactive part with a talent development expert of Double Pass.
This analysis will be the basis for an extensive support programme from 2021 onwards and will afford the MA a better understanding of the academies that produce players for youth national teams
The two FIFA experts assigned to Namibia are Hesterine de Reus from Holland and Luis Miguel Del Risco Spanish/Colombian.
The analysis will include an in-depth analysis combination of online surveys and interviews including online surveys with key stakeholders of the Academy (General Technical Management and Coaches).
These academies will be required to submit some key documents, which will be analysed as well as interviews with key persons of the Academy, presentation of their training in the facilities, also the academies will be required to upload a video record of a typical training session.
Hendrik Dawids, Erongo Football Region chairperson says that there has been neglect or no focus on youth structures and this new development will provide an impetus for the realisation that talent development should start at grassroots and youth development.
A set off criteria was set for the selection and the panel of specialists, based on information at hand selected the following academies:
1) Nfa Elite Girls Centre, Girls Football Academy
2) Khomas Football Region, Tura Magic Academy
3) Erongo Football Region, Swakopmund FC
4) Oshana Football Region, A-Class Soccer Academy
5) Khomas Football Region, Kasaona Football Academy
6) Khomas Football Region, Kaizen Football Academy
7) Khomas Football Region, Swallows Football Academy
8) Otjozondjupa Football Region, Otjiwarongo Football Academy
9) Kunene Football Region, Outjo Football Academy
10) Otjozondjupa Football Region, Orwetoveni City Pro Academy
11) //Kharas Football Region, //Kharas Football Academy
12) Khomas Football Region, Arcadia Youth Football Development
13) Kavango East Football Region, Rundu Excellent Football Academy