Bashar: Attracting world-class coaches for the youth academy to build a professional generation

The Acting Director General of the Public Authority for Youth and Sports, Bashar Abdullah, confirmed yesterday that the primary objective of the project to recruit international coaches to work with the under-12 category 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.

Bashar 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 that can be built upon in subsequent age groups.

He explained 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 resumes 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.

Among the key selection criteria for coaches were an age range of 25 to 45 years, possession of a coaching license at the ‘A’ or ‘Pro’ level, and specialized experience in coaching youth age groups rather than senior teams. Proficiency in English was also required, with priority given to coaches who had previously worked in the Gulf or Arab region.

Bashar noted that the project had received approval from FIFA, adding that following the announcement, the authority received numerous resumes from coaches expressing interest in participating after reviewing the project’s seriousness and objectives.

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

He pointed out that a joint committee comprising representatives from the Public Authority for Youth and Sports and the Kuwait Football Association has been formed to monitor the coaches’ work through weekly observation of training sessions and the preparation of periodic reports on progress. He clarified that the project is subject to modification and development as needed to ensure its objectives are met.

Bashar explained that the authority had agreed with the clubs to grant the coaches full authority to make technical decisions regarding their work, emphasizing that this measure is intended to ensure their expertise and capabilities are utilized optimally.

He stressed that the project does not aim to create competition among clubs but rather 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 among players, thereby contributing to the development of well-rounded players both technically and physically.

Bashar expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the clubs for their cooperation and support of the project, noting the authority’s commitment to obtaining club approval before implementation and highlighting the full support and attention received from the clubs to ensure the success of this initiative.

He called on parents to enroll their children in clubs close to their residential areas, 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, either by recruiting a larger number of coaches in football or by extending it to other sports. At the same time, he mentioned the possibility of providing opportunities for recent graduate national coaches to shadow the recruited international coaches, allowing them to benefit from their expertise, experiences, and technical capabilities.