Antonio Barradas, the Africa Director for LaLiga.
Antonio Barradas, the Africa Director for LaLiga, has expressed disappointment that the winners of Future Players Talent Search competition are not incorporated into PSL clubs’ academies.
The competition, which was in its 10th year this year, saw four young SA footballers, plus a Future Coach, being sent on the trip of a lifetime to Spain in October.
The four players: Nkanyiso and Khanyezi Maphosa (16-year-old twins), Suhail Moosa (16), and Zara Wilkinson (16) are now back in the country, but have not been signed by academies or professional teams.
During a media lunch in Sandton on Tuesday, Barradas said: “That is actually one of the problems (players not being incorporated into academies). I spoke to Dr (Danny) Jordaan about it recently. I have also spoken about it to the organisers of the Future Champions.
“These kids go over to Spain, but when they come back to South Africa, they end up in the same situation that they were in when they left the country, which is no academy for them and no club to take them.
“This was one of the reasons why I spoke to Dr Jordaan. Because these kids go to Spain and all the knowledge they get there is wasted. They should be going to academies at (Kaizer) Chiefs and (Orlando) Pirates and I don’t think they have academies or they’re not interested (in having them). We will definitely look at this issue in the future.
“When these players come back from Spain, they must come back to a club or an academy. I have told Dr Jordaan and the organisers of the Future Champions that it is unfair that these players don’t go to clubs or academies when they come back from Spain.”
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