Biya creates football academy

By Tsol M. Wuinnie Roséne in Yaounde

 

Paul Biya

A new football school, the National Football Academy, ANAFOOT by its French acronym will soon go operational in the country, the head of state, Paul Biya decreed yesterday.

According to the presidential decree which was released only in French language, the first ever state-owned football school will be charged with initiating and guiding young talents to achieve advanced football skills. The new school will equally have as mission, the formation of trainers to handle both football theory and practical.

ANAFOOT will also address fundamental research and application techniques related to football as well as ensure the development of expertise of football stakeholders in the country.

The institution will be charged with the collection, archiving and diffusion of all football-related documentation in Cameroon.

Though the decree does not state precisely when and where the school will go functional, it specifies that the football academy shall comprise of three departments: the research and documentation department, the advanced football professional and technical training department and the department in charge of training for football-related disciplines. The declaration states that more specialised departments could be created when ever need arises.

Going by the decree, the administrative and academic organigram as well as the academic structure of programmes shall be spelt out by a separate text.

Following yesterday’s decision by the president to open a national football school, some football analysts have advanced that the move was taken following recommendations from the recent Yang commission charged with indentifying problems that led to the Indomitable Lions’ poor World Cup outing in Brazil.

While some of the football analysts say the creation of the new school will give the impression to the international community that Cameroon can stand the challenge of hosting AFCON 2019, others simply say they hope the fees will be affordable for the poor young talented folks.