Support soccer academy project

The much-anticipated December 12 match between Uganda All-Stars and FC Barcelona legends took place on Saturday and thrilled the less than capacity crowd.

It was a historic occasion seeing some of the greatest players of the last generation in Uganda and the world showcasing their talent at Namboole stadium, retirement notwithstanding.

But the match is now gone and focus must shift to the more serious issue of a football academy.
Rayco Garcia, the brainchild behind the match, has reiterated his firm belief in the talent in Uganda. Currently, he is working towards ensuring that the academy sees the light of day.

When he promised to organise a host of former Barcelona stars to play a match in Uganda in June, many were skeptical. At the time, it sounded too good to be true.

It was even hard to believe him, after all not many Ugandans knew who he was.

Garcia spent a considerable time seeking believability among stakeholders in the game. Even after organising the visits of Patrick Kluivert and Luis Garcia, he continued to fight for credibility. That has probably ended now.
What he will now require from stakeholders is support to develop and better the talent at Uganda’s disposal.
We know that Garcia has useful contacts in the higher echelon of the European game which we must use as a country to lay solid foundation to nurture future stars.

Being a foreigner, it is obvious he cannot do it alone. He will require corporate backing, government support and the involvement of the local soccer governing body to get started.

Football is a game for everyone and all Ugandans have every reason to look forward to the establishment of this project.
Admittedly, there have been academy projects in Uganda that have either stalled or struggled to execute their dreams for most of the aforementioned challenges.

Yet the difficulties encountered by other academies should not be a deterrent for new ones in the pipeline.
The biggest hurdle for any academy is funding. That is precisely why the academy will take the concerted effort of all parties interested in the development of the game in the country to achieve its mission.

It does not harm the cause that Garcia is a former protégé of La Masia, arguably the best academy in the world and the conveyor belt of talent for Spanish and European champions FC Barcelona.

Done well, the academy can leave a lasting legacy for Ugandan football. Let us rally behind it.

The issue: Soccer academy.
Our view: The biggest hurdle for any academy is funding. That is precisely why the academy will take the concerted effort of all parties interested in the development of the game in the country to achieve its mission.