Stars bank on young talent
PLATINUM Stars hope that their academy will help them become one of the giants of South African football.
Dikwena train at the world-class Royal Bafokeng Campus just outside Phokeng and have recruited 40 young players aged 11 and 12 at the facility.
They hope the youngsters will provide the club and the national team with the kind of talent needed to take them to the next level over the next five to 10 years.
New head coach Cavin Johnson left his position as head of the academy to lead the first team, but among the performance criteria in his contract is the continued success of the school. That is a tough ask, but Johnson insisted that it be written into his contract as he wants to remain involved with the youngsters.
“All of these young guys are from North West and we hope that some of them will develop into players who will benefit Platinum Stars, the Premier Soccer League and South African football as a whole in the future,” Johnson said.
“We have to make sure that they get there and I hope that I am still here at the club when the first group turn 17 and 18 and are ready for the first team,” Johnson said.
“Our academy is a massive focus for us and a personal passion of mine.”
Club general manager Jason Raine said they were pleased with how things were going two years into their project.
“In January last year we had our first intake of 20 boys aged 11 and 12, and another 20 arrived this year. We see them as the future of our club and over the next four years we will give them every opportunity to succeed, ” Raine said.
“They get everything they need here. They are obviously fed correctly, looked after medically and taken to school every day. Studies are very important to us too.”
Raine said the academy was already making strides, with their Under-19 side having won promotion to the SAB Regional League in the Central Region of North West.