Craig Bellamy in West Ham jersey
Bellamy to witness Salone/South Africa match
…and launches his academy
Welsh international and West Ham United skipper, Craig Bellamy will launch his football academy at Tombo and will also witnessed Sierra Leone home against South Africa in Freetown .
The former Liverpool and Newcastle skipper is due in town on June purposely to launch his academy which will be built at Tombo and organized a nation-wide tournament for young players between the ages of 10-14 years.
According to the academy information officer, Durosimi Thomas : “The government is committed to donate 25 acres of land for the construction of the academy. The paper work is on and the government is excited about this development.”
Thomas said, the academy will comprise of educational facilities such as library, classrooms, offices, accommodation and two international standard pitches.
He said the academy will cater for 45 boys, who will attend school, be trained and feed, adding that the goal of the academy is to develop boys in football and academics.
“The academy will enrich their potential, as there will be no drop out, if one failed to perform well in football, he will be trained to become a physiotherapist,” Thomas said.
Commenting on the nation-wide league, Thomas said, the competition will not only focus on the matches, but also on community development.
He said, points will be added and deducted from any community due to certain criteria's governing the competition.
“Bellamy is personally sponsoring the construction of the academy, but local organizations like Comium mobile company and UNICEF have expressed their willingness to support the academy,” Thomas said.
The academy construction will commence on November 2008 and will be concluded on March 2009, while the nationwide tourney will start in November this year.
Thomas disclosed that the 45 boys will be scouted from the nationwide tourney and noted that upon receiving the documentation from the government, the work on the pitches will commence.
