Dh50m to help youth football

Ahmed Rizvi

• Last Updated: November 18. 2009 12:08AM UAE / November 17. 2009 8:08PM GMT

Thirteeen of the country’s amateur football clubs will get new clubhouses, floodlights and artificial pitches under proposals outlined by the Football Association (FA) yesterday.

Masafi, Al Oroba, Al Arabi, Al Dhaid, Al Tawwum, Dibba al Hisna, Masfout, Diba Fujairah, Ras al Khaimah, Al Jazira al Hamra, Al Hamriya, Al Rams and Faraj al Mualla will all benefit from the Dh50million scheme. The cost is being met by Sheikh Khalifa, President of the UAE, who agreed to the grant earlier this year after a request from the FA.

Mohammed Khalfan al Rumaithi, president of the UAE Football Association, said the move will aid the development of young Emirati players.

“These clubs have been the nurseries of football in the country,” he said.

“If you look at the Pro League or the nationals teams, all the good players are coming from these clubs. They are physically better, their motivation is higher, their willingness to improve is greater. They only lack good coaching and facilities.

“We are trying to cover that by calling them to the national teams. But eventually they have to go back to their clubs and there they face problems with fields, floodlighting, changing rooms an all other necessary facilities.

“Now, with this project, we will close that gap and make them feel that whatever we provide them with our national teams is provided to them at their clubs.”

The FA will take care of the maintenance for the first two years before handing it back to the clubs. Construction is due to start in January and al Rumaithi expects the work to be completed by August or September, before the start of next season.

“We thank the President for this donation,” he said.

“It goes in line with the strategy we have for the elevation of football in the country.”

With the Club World Cup being held in the capital next month and high-profile friendlies held in the country, this marks a change in attitude to focus on grass roots as well as the headline-grabbing big games.

“We believe the infrastructure is as important as the players, coaches and referees. Without it we cannot proceed towards any progress,” added al Rumaithi.

“We have managed to get the clubs to agree to whatever we are providing, and also to collect as much data as possible about the potential companies that can take on this project.”



arizvi@thenational.ae