Spurs bring coaching programme to SA

27 November 2012

Leading English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday announced a partnership with sponsor Investec to bring its highly regarded global coaching programme to South Africa in 2012/13.

Courses will take place in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town and provide 3 200 places for boys and girls between the ages of eight and 17 for coaching by some of the club’s leading youth coaches.

The coaches have all previously worked with the club’s academy that has, over the past few years, been responsible for the development of first-team players such as Steven Caulker, Jake Livermore and Andros Townsend.

Entertaining and attacking

Spurs are renowned for playing an entertaining and attacking style of football, and the club’s coaching programme shares that philosophy, coaching players to play the game with the same style and approach as superstars such as Gareth Bale, Mousa Dembele and Emmanuel Adebayor.

Commenting on the announcement of the partnership Mark Jones, head of Spur’s global coaching programme, said in a statement: “The club has a long association with South Africa, and through our ongoing relationship with SuperSport United we are aware of the huge amount of talent and passion for football that exists across the country.

Goal

“Our goal is to deliver the best learning environment possible to encourage and develop the skills and techniques of all those players that attend the courses, whatever their level,” Jones said.

Janet Larsen, Investec South Africa’s head of marketing, said the partnership was “an extension of an already strong relationship we have with Tottenham Hotspur. The development of talent, combined with a passionate team spirit, makes this a great association for Investec.

‘A wealth of football talent’

“This programme will be beneficial to young South African soccer players, who will be exposed to a wealth of football talent and greats of the game, who will share their skill and knowledge with these aspiring youngsters,” Larsen said.

The first course will take place at St David’s School, Johannesburg from 10 to 14 December and will be attended by Tottenham Hotspur ambassador and former club captain Ledley King.

Each course will be run by four professional full-time coaches from the club’s coaching programme, who be assisted by several South African coaches, to ensure all those attending have the chance to learn how to play “the Tottenham Hotspur way”.

Information

More information on the courses taking place across Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town can be found at www.tottenhamhotspur.com/coaching-sa.

Tottenham Hotspur has enjoyed a long relationship with South Africa, and toured the country in 2003, 2007 and 2011.

In addition to Investec’s association with the club, which is now in its third season, Spurs also has an established relationship with Supersport United, partnering with the South African club to deliver an elite youth development academy.

For the past six, Spurs have also worked with SOS Children’s Home, the world’s largest orphan charity, to finance the construction and upkeep of an orphan house in Rustenburg.

SAinfo reporter