Acting Director General of Youth and Sports: Recruiting World-Class Coaches for Juniors to Build a Professional Sports Generation

The Acting Director General of the Public Authority for Youth and Sports, Bashar Abdullah, confirmed on Thursday that the primary objective of the project to attract world-class coaches to work with under-12 players in football clubs is to invest in the youth and build a professional sports generation founded on sound principles.

This statement was made during a press conference marking the launch of the project to recruit 15 international coaches, distributed among the 15 clubs to work with the under-12 category, in collaboration with the Kuwait Football Association.

Abdullah stated that the under-12 age group is one of the most critical stages in a player’s development and the formation of their sporting identity, noting that proper foundational training helps players develop more effectively, understand the game faster, and build a solid technical and physical base for future age groups.

He clarified that the project was launched in cooperation with the Kuwait Football Association, which had submitted 150 resumes from coaches of various nationalities. He added that these applications were reviewed and personal interviews were conducted with several candidates according to specific criteria and conditions to select the most suitable individuals for the project.

Abdullah highlighted that key selection criteria for the coaches include being between 25 and 45 years old, holding coaching licenses at the ‘A’ or ‘Pro’ level, and possessing specialized experience in coaching youth categories rather than senior teams. Proficiency in English is also required, with priority given to coaches who have previously worked in the Gulf or Arab region.

He noted that the project has received approval from the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), adding that since the project’s announcement, additional resumes have been received from coaches interested in participating after learning about the project’s seriousness and objectives.

Abdullah stated that the recruited coaches come from diverse footballing schools and countries, including Spain, Portugal, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Croatia, emphasizing that the diversity in experience and coaching methodologies represents a significant addition to the project.

He pointed out the formation of a joint committee from the Public Authority and the Kuwait Football Association to monitor the coaches’ work through weekly observation of training sessions and periodic reports on progress. He noted that the project is subject to modification and development as needed to ensure its objectives are met.

He clarified that the Authority has agreed with the clubs to grant the coaches full authority to make technical decisions regarding their work, ensuring that their expertise and capabilities are utilized optimally.

He stressed that the project does not aim to create competition among clubs but focuses primarily on qualifying and developing talents, discovering their potential, and refining it according to sound scientific and technical foundations.

He added that the coaches place particular emphasis on the physical development of players at this age group, as well as instilling a culture of healthy eating and proper habits, which contributes to building a well-rounded player both technically and physically.

Abdullah expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the clubs for their cooperation and support of the project, noting that the Authority ensured the clubs’ approval before implementation and received their full support and attention to ensure the success of this initiative.

He called on parents to register their children in clubs near their places of residence, emphasizing that all recruited coaches possess the same level of competence, with negligible differences among them, making the choice of the nearest club more suitable for both the player and the family.

He revealed a future vision for expanding the project in the coming stages, whether by attracting a larger number of football coaches or by broadening its scope to include other sports. At the same time, he pointed to the possibility of providing opportunities for newly graduated national coaches to work alongside internationally recruited coaches, allowing them to benefit from their expertise, experiences, and technical capabilities.

He expressed hope that the project’s fruits would emerge in the coming years, contributing to the development of Kuwaiti talent and supplying Kuwaiti sports with players capable of continuing the trajectory of progress and achievement.