February 14 – Having just qualified their first cohort of female referees last week, the Somali Football Federation (SFF) this week have launched the country’s first youth development centre in the city of Baidoa.
The federation said that it will be the first of a number of training centres across the country, and will focus on training U9 to U13 and U16 age groups.
“After a lot of efforts and dedication, the first center is finally open in Baidoa and it is the first of several development centers of its kind planned to be opened in all federal member states,” said SFF president Ali Abdi Mohamed.
“To produce talented players, they must be given the opportunity to train at a very young age and that is why the centre targets children as young as under 9 years old. The children attend schools, but they will engage in their training sessions outside their school periods, as we want to produce talented players who are at the same time well-educated.”
Baidoa is 246km south west of the capital Mogadishu. Accompanied at the opening by the minister for youth and sport of South West State, Salman Shuaib Ali and South West State Football Association chairman, Ahmed Ali Hassan, Abdi Mohamed also opened a CAF License D coaching course for 30 young coaches in Baidoa.
Keep your friends close and your rivals closer
With the SFF ramping up its activity across the board Abdi Mohamed has also moved to build bridges and unity within the federation, appointing his election rival, Wiish Yabarow, as the new chair of SFF referees’ committee.
Yabarow, a retired international football referee, previously led the department before quitting in July 2022 and later running against Abdi Mohammed for the SFF presidency.
“After every rivalry with in the football community, there are always handshakes, love and friendship. For example, two football teams fight in the pitch for 90 minutes and they end the fight with hug and handshakes. All they fight is to win the match and earn the three points,” said Abdi Mohamed.
“Likewise, football leaders fight during elections and when the election is over the loser and the winner are friends, because that is the true sportsmanship and we are now exercising it.”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1740216541labto1740216541ofdlr1740216541owedi1740216541sni@n1740216541osloh1740216541cin.l1740216541uap1740216541