PRESS RELEASE 2008-09-03
Thanda establishes football academy for youngsters
The South African Thanda Star Academy and its football club Thanda Royal Zulu FC announced today the establishment of a football academy for youngsters. Together with the world famous manager Sven-Göran Eriksson, they will build up a leading football academy for young people in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. The academy will have talent scouts all over Africa.
Thanda Royal Zulu FC’s coaching team, Roger Palmgren and Johan Eriksson, will supervise the football training at Thanda Star Academy, together with the youth coach Paul Matthews. The training philosophy will be drawn up by Sven-Göran Eriksson. He sees a clear advantage regarding football at both youth and elite levels.
“There are many talents in African countries who could go a long way if they are given the right conditions. The combination of a top academy and a team in the highest division will give the best talents the chance of a successful football career. My task will be to apply my coaching experience and my contacts for the benefit of the youngsters,” says Sven-Göran Eriksson.
Scouting all over Africa
The academy will have talent scouts around Africa in order to find the best talents and offer them football training of top international class as well as education. Through a network of clubs in Europe and Africa there is a possibility for the students to subsequently play for professional teams in many countries.
Both the team and the academy are parts of a broader initiative, emanating from the Thanda Group, known for its activities involving tourism as well as the fight against HIV and aids: the Star for Life-project. Pierre Delvaux, Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Thanda Group, says:
“By starting a football academy we are helping to further promote the development of football in KwaZulu-Natal and also to create positive role models within the Star for Life-project. The project encourages young people to go for their dreams and live an aidsfree life.”
Dan Olofsson, founder of Star for Life and a partner in Thanda Star Academy:
“We believe that in South Africa there is an exciting future for football, which is the most popular sport among the black population. Not least, the football World Cup in South Africa in 2010 will drive this development. The resources we provide will contribute to that progress.”
The leading team in South Africa
Thanda Royal Zulu FC play in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and finished 14th last season. Now, the work continues to make the Thanda Royal Zulu FC the leading football club in South Africa. In the short term, the club has signed a number of new players to strengthen the team for the 2008/2009 season. In a longer term, the establishment of the football academy will contribute to the influx of new talents.
Head Coach Roger Palmgren says:
“The team will become an important platform for the development of the academy’s talented players. The focus on youth becomes a natural part of the teams strategy and vision.”
Thanda has already started two teams for youngsters. Thanda Royal Zulu FC u19 played their first competitive tournament in the beginning of august. In the Super Sport u19 tournament the team reached the semi-finals, where they lost after a penalty shoot-out.
Senior advisors to Thanda Star Academy:
Sven-Göran Eriksson
An authority on world football who is currently manager of the Mexico national team. He has previously been coach and manager of the England national team and clubs such as Manchester City, Lazio, Fiorentina, Roma, Sampdoria, Benfica and IFK Göteborg.
Dan Olofsson
An IT entrepreneur who has built up the major consulting firms Sigma, Epsilon and Teleca. Together with his wife Christin, he is also the founder of Star for Life and the safari complex, Thanda Private Game Reserve. Dan Olofsson can be contacted by phone on.
Maths O Sundqvist
An entrepreneur from Jämtland, Sweden, who is a major owner in companies such as Hexagon, Fabege, Wihlborgs, Klövern, Öresund, SCA and Industrivärlden. Has also built up the property companies, Norrvidden and Fabös. He became involved in Star for Life at an early stage.
Gunder Lilius
A Swedish executive, Board Member of Sigma AB and Epsilon as well as of the American IT company, Bamboo Solutions Corporation.
Pierre Delvaux
A South African with extensive experience of business life. Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Thanda Group.
Operational management:
Roger Palmgren
Has considerable experience of both European and African football. In the past, he has been the coach of three African national teams: Rwanda, Sierra Leone and the Congo. Roger Palmgren has also been the coach at Degerfors in the Sedish “Allsvenskan” and Café Opera in the “Superettan” league. He can be contacted by phone on +27 (0)31 303 8771.
Johan Eriksson
Johan Eriksson has a doctorate in sports psychology and is Roger Palmgren’s partner in coaching and training. Johan Eriksson can be contacted by phone on +27 (0)31 303 8771.
Johan Glennmo
Among his roles, Johan Glennmo is chairman of Epsilon AB. At Thanda Star Academy he is finance director and chairman. Johan Glennmo can be contacted by phone on +27 (0)31 303 8771.
About Star for Life
Star for Life is a project the aim of which is to give schoolchildren in Southern Africa confidence in the future and thus slow down the spread of HIV and aids.
The Star for Life programme is aimed at secondary school pupils. The programme lasts three years at each school, and is based on the pupils’ inherent strength and joy. Mental training, music – including the Swedish group Triple & Touch – colour and shape are crucial components, as is, of course, knowledge about HIV/aids. Reinforcement of the pupils’ self esteem will give them confidence in the future and the ability to take increased responsibility for their lives. The programme has also been designed so that its content can be integrated into ongoing school work when the programme is completed.
The Star for Life programme started in 2005, and now includes 62 schools with a total of around 62,000 pupils.
Star for Life is run on a completely non-profit basis, and has neither political nor religious connections. As well as Christin and Dan Olofsson, supporters of Star School also include Mats Sundqvist, Johan Hansen, the Henning Persson Foundation (H&M), Jan Barchan and AB Volvo.
Read more at http://www.starforlife.org/