Times Of Swaziland: A. MADRID STAR INVITES PLAYERS FOR TRIALS

A. MADRID STAR INVITES PLAYERS FOR TRIALS
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BY PHOLSILE HLOPHE on 02/08/2020 00:20:00


MBABANE – Athletico Madrid’s football star Thomas Partey has invited players
from Eswatini Soccer Academy to come for trials in his Spanish football club,
Alcobendas.
The 27-year-old Ghanaian player, who is regarded as one of the finest
footballers in the world, partnered with three of his Spanish advisors to seal a
complete take-over of the third division club based in Madrid. The four partners
bought the club in July last year.
According to Professional Soccer Management Director Emmanuel Emenogue, this
invitation is open to the 45 young players who were selected to form the
Eswatini Soccer Academy during the Eswatini open trials, which started in
February and were unfortunately halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Alcobendas is
one of the European teams that agreed to partner with Emenogue in helping
African players whose dream is to establish a secured career abroad.
could not wait
Through a video clip shared with this publication by Emenogue, Partey said he
could not wait for the players to come for trials in his club.
“I can’t wait to see you guys here in Spain and to see you in our team. I
hope you guys will be excellent for us,” said Partey.
Emenogue said this invitation was a big thing for Eswatini and the development
of the sport in the country. He said that Partey was a role model to many
African players as he understood and knew the pain of leaving Africa to go for
trials in     Europe, since he came from a poor background but his family
supported his dream and even sold land plus other family valuables in order to
buy him a plane ticket to Europe.
“We need people like Partey because he knows what it means for an African
child to go for trials in Europe. He knew how much his family had sacrificed to
avail him this opportunity and he worked hard to get where he is today,” said
Emenogue.
development plans
He further assured that Partey would be coming to Eswatini in the near future
and would get to meet with Eswatini Football Association (EFA) authorities and
would discuss future development plans. He said that the Eswatini Soccer Academy
would continue grooming a pool of players who would substitute those that will
get signed by other teams. He further stated that when the players get to
Europe, they would set up a structure where they will develop using European
standards and methods.
“This programme will benefit the football association and the national team
because the players will get European exposure, adopt their standard of play and
return to implement it back at home,” said Emenogue.