The Kenya football developmental side and their coaching staff kicked off a week-long training clinic with English Premier League side Southampton FC yesterday.
The project, which is in conjunction with SportPesa, will see 30 budding footballers attain skills in the “Southampton way of Football” under various coaching factions including strength and conditioning, goalkeeping and fieldwork sessions.
Southampton are hailed globally for having one of the best football development programmes in the world, having produced top players like Sadio Mane, Adam Lallana (Liverpool), Theo Walcott, Alex Ox-lade Chamberlain (Arsenal), Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Wayne Bridge and the great Alan Shearer.
Southampton expressed their delight in working with SportPesa, noting that the cornerstone of the partnership is supporting the development of young football players, hence working with the Kenyan developmental squad will be a great starting point.
“Our Football Development and Support staff are looking forward to making a difference through sharing the Southampton Way philosophy and working with SportPesa and the Football Kenya Federation,” the EPL club said. Speaking during the opening ceremony of the training clinic, SportPesa’s global chief marketing officer; Joyce Kibe reiterated the company’s commitment towards the development of sporting talent in the country.
“It is a journey we began with a vision of creating numerous opportunities for passionate sportsmen through continuous training engagements and exposure,” she said.
“Therefore, as a company, we are looking forward to fulfilling this, focusing especially on the World Cup 2022 qualification, hence our choice of a development side,” she added. Football Kenya Federation CEO Robert Muthomi also lauded the Southampton training program.
“We believe that the Southampton training camp is yet another opportunity for our players and coaches to develop, learn and exchange ideas with coaches from one of the clubs with a vibrant youth structure in Europe,” said Muthomi.