Doing it the Liverpool Way in SA

Popular UK club establishing local academies for boys and girls as well as coaches

THE main priority of the recently launched Liverpool coaching academy is to raise good young people capable of playing great football.

The man behind bringing the popular English football club’s brand to South Africa is Cape Town- born Lyndon Barends. A former chief executive of the Olympic Committee of South Africa, the man raised in a shack in Crossroads has high hopes and lofty ambitions for the academy.

The Liverpool academy is Barends’ latest venture after his previous company – Matchworld PR – brought Manchester United to South Africa in 2012 and Manchester City in 2013.

Barends has the rights for Liverpool’s academy after presenting a proposal to the Anfield club. Already up and running in Johannesburg and Durban, the Cape Town operation was launched last week – and Barends is currently in the process of setting up shop.

He is in the market for interested young players (between the ages of 5-17) as well interested local coaches, who will be trained by the Reds coach who will oversee the programme in the Mother City.

“Currently in Durban, we have around 160 kids, and in Johannesburg about 60,” Barends said. “We will be starting the Cape Town programme in December with a number of training camps.

“The idea about the academy is that it’s not just about football, it’s also about Liverpool’s family values, and about teaching kids life skills. Not only do we want good players, we want them to be good people as well. We want them to learn about dignity, pride, excellence and performance, all aspects which come with the Liverpool brand.”

The Liverpool academy will have a general manager in every region to oversee the programme, together with the Reds coach responsible for directing things, to ensure that everything is done the Liverpool way.

“Local coaches will be appointed, who will be trained to teach and coach the Liverpool way,” Barends said. “While there will be weekly programmes at the academy to develop players who sign on to join, there will also be scouting programmes at schools and remote areas.

“At least three times a year, Liverpool will send down two other coaches, who will keep local coaches abreast of the latest developments and techniques at the English club. In short, the academy wants young players to have an authentic Liverpool experience.

“There are two other issues close to my heart that will also form part of the Liverpool academy,” Barends added.

“One is that we will be focusing on girls football as well. Often this is an area neglected by academies, but we want to open it up… because I believe it’s an area that is neglected. And with this, we are also looking for women coaches to apply to work in our programme.

“Two is that we will be setting up, within the academy, a strikers unit. It’s no secret that it’s a department of South African football that is in trou-