Sierra Leone Youth Football Platform-SLYFP

K and K Academy to host Football scouting tournament at the SLFA Academy*

K and K Football Academy in collaboration with the office of National Youth Football Coordinator will host two Italian FIFA License Agents in a four (4) days scouting tournament in Sierra Leone

It could be recall earlier this year, K&K Football Academy management signed a partnership agreement with one of the most recognized Youth Football Company in Europe, DAS INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL AGENCY based in Italy, Germany, and Spain. As part of the Agency’s agreements, they will work with K and K Football Academy to help identify and promote Sierra Leonean young talents to acquire clubs and training opportunities in Europe, to actualise this objective the Agency has sent two of it’s FIFA License agent to detect Sierra Leonean young talents in the country

The agents are MARCANDREA PERBELLINI and his colleague SIMEONE FERRI AGOSTINI, they will take part in a detection project which will start on the 22nd April, 2024 and end on the 25th of April 2024 at the SLFA FOOTBALL ACADEMY in Kingtom.

The scouting tournament will involve K and K Football Academy, Sierra Leone national Under 17, Sierra Leone National Under 20 and a combined premier League and Division one side(ALL STARS) comprising of players within the age bracket of under 19.

Speaking to the CEO of K and K Academy Mr Kai Samba, he intimated this write that, this is not the first time they are working with DAS INTERNATIONAL AGENCY, “they were also responsible for the marketing of two Sierra Leonean players Alison Kamara and MOMOH Kamara who are presently playing in the Portuguese Second tier League and we are impressed with the collaboration between us thus far” Kaisamba said, he went further to say “they are also working with the office of the National Youth Football Coordinator, Alimamy Kurash Conteh to ensure that this project is a success”

More to follow……

*Northwest Region meets with the National Youth Coordinator*

The Northwest Region Football Association on Sunday 8th of October, 2023 held a successful discussion with the National Youth Coordinator of the Sierra Leone Football Association, Alimamy Kuraish Conteh to discuss plans to commence a U-12 and U-14 across the Region. The meeting was held at the Northwest Regional Office, Alama Road, Port Loko City.

In his statement, the National Youth Coordinator disclosed the age groups that will be included in the Youth Categories, ensuring that it caters to a wide range of young players across each district within the region. He furthered by disclosing strategies to encourage maximum participation in the Sierra Leone Football Association willing to usher in the fullest support to ensure a kickstart of the various competitions in November 2023.

He emphasized that enhancing player development is a vital component of fostering youth representation at the National level. This could also include marketing strategy, and reaching out to potential sponsors who are interested in supporting grassroots football development.

The Regional Secretary, Mohamed Speaking Kamara appreciates the Youth Coordinator for his laurels in ushering in a new facelift to Youth Football in Sierra Leone referencing the recent strides made in creating partnerships with European Clubs to provide Trials for the Young Players. He added also that the visits demonstrated the commitment to the Sierra Leone Football Association in nurturing young football talents and providing them with a platform to showcase their skills.

The Regional Secretary also reflects on the collaborative and focused approach laid down by the leadership in planning and organizing structured youth football programs which is crucial for the growth and development of football at the grassroots level in the region.

*©️Northwest Region Media*

*Two SLFA youth pioneers engage former Romania international player Daniel Charita*

By: Abdul Karim Kargbo

Sierra Leone Football Association international Youth talent developer and national scout Morlai B Kamara, together with Youth Football Coordinator Alimamy Kurash Conteh, has met with Romania football legend Denial Charita in Romania.

Daniel appeared in two World Cup tournaments for Romania and several European clubs such as Zenit St. Petersburg in Russia, Shakhtar Donestke in Ukraine, Rapid Bucharesti and Petrolul in Romania. He is considered as one of Romania’s greatest defenders who won several trophies and laurels at his prime. Chirita is referred to as the second most successful player in the Romania’s football history after Goergy Hadji. He retired in 2018.

Their engagement was geared towards creating a pathway for Sierra Leonean players to ply their trade in Romania and other European nations.

Speaking to this writer, the UK based Morlai B Kamara who is working with Tottenham Hotspur youth system and who doubles as co-founder and director of Area Best LTD, a London club; said that such an engagement is necessary and the country should make good use of the opportunity, as that will help the nation to have more quality Sierra Leonean players in Europe, as Romania and Petrolul will just serve as a springboard for young players’ professional career.

Daniel Charita promised to render his support to Sierra Leone through youth football development. He is currently the CEO of Petrolul football club in the Romania top flight league.

The experienced youth football administrators Morlai B Kamara and Alimamy Kurash Conteh were taken to a conducted tour of the Petrolul facility in Romania. They were thrilled with the kind of developments and ideas Chirita has in youth football development.

*5 Young Players Train with JFV Nordkreis Football Club in Germany: An Analysis of Youth Football hopeful Journey Under President Thomas Daddy Brima Administration*

By Abdul Karim Kargbo

The importance of youth football development in Sierra Leone cannot be overemphasized. It seeks to make football more accessible to both boys and girls in the country by incorporating football activities into the education system, in partnership with relevant authorities and stakeholders.

In 2021, as a football administrator, I was one of the firmest youth football administrators and club owners who pioneered the first ever Western Area Football Association U15 Searching for Stars competition. This program opens the door for plethora of football clubs in Sierra Leone including some premier league clubs to establish their youth football category or partnering with under 15 and 17 clubs in the country.

When the competition reached it climaxed, the Sierra Leone Football Association which is the parent body of football in Sierra Leone appointed Alimamy Kuriash Conteh as Youth Football Coordinator, a position that has never existed in the structures of Football in the country. With such appointment, I was optimistic that the dynamics of football will not be a new normal but a foundation of new developmental trajectory the country’s youth football will see. This is a blueprint we are witnessing presently with the activities of the SLFA Youth Football Coordinator.

I was fortunate to work with Alimamy Kuriash during the implementation period of the WAFA searching for Stars competition and I knew how passionate and quintessential he was. To measure the performance of youth football development through SLFA Thomas Daddy Brima’s leadership, this article is centered on a tripartite analysis.

1. Marketing of Under 15 And 17 Players into International Academies and Clubs.

The central pillar or backbone of every nation is it’s young people. When president Thomas Daddy Brima assumed office, he realized that for Sierra Leone to compete structurally, there are integral roles his leadership has to play to get it right. One of this is to market young players into different football academies in Europe and other footballing nations. This has seen over 20 under 15 and 17 players either signed pre-professional contracts or signed with academies.

SLFA youth football marketing system has seen young players from Sierra Leone signed a professional contract with a Romania. These players includes Sallieu Bah who has just been called by the National team at the age of 16 becoming the second youngest player to be selected by the National Team - Leone Stars.
Before Sallieu Bah’s National call up, Mohamed Kallon remains the youngest player to ever have a called up by Leones Stars at 15 in January 1995.

Before getting his international call up, Sallieu Bah was one of the youngest players to play the Sierra Leone Premier league with an exceptional performance netting several goals and winning over 5 man of the match awards.

Also, five players are presently in Germany through the SLFA youth football development marketing system where they will be schooled and trained to compete with other under 15 European players till they will be able to sign professional contracts base on their performance with the academy. These players were selected for their exceptional performances in Sierra Leone through the leadership of SLFA Thomas Daddy Brima and the Youth Football Coordinator. They are Goalkeeper Alieya Mansaray, Alie Ramadan Kabia, Mohamed Bangura, David Destiny Conteh and Nasiru Jimmissa - all drawn from HADA FC, Star Sports Football Academy and Wilberforce Strikers Juniors.

2. Inclusion of Young Players into The National Team

For several years, the country’s national team is known for calling Sierra Leonean players trading with international clubs to represent the country. Leone Stars match 5 encounter in Liberia with Nigeria at the ongoing AFCON 2023 Qualifiers witnessed a new dawn where over 15 local players were selected and participated in the said competition. This is the highest ever number of a locally based players selection the country has seen. Such inclusion is a testament of the growth of the country’s premier league competition.

3. Youth Competitions

The leadership of SLFA has provided the facelift in youth football by supporting programs that promote football and education. The second edition of SLFA’s football for school programs will hopefully kick start this September, the last edition which was sanctioned by CAF through the support of the Motsepe Foundation and the National youth football tournament will commence in October this year. These are milestones that when implemented, our youth football system will improve rapidly and the country’s next generation of great players will be enormous.

This trajectory president Thomas Daddy Brima together with his Executive and the Youth Football Coordinator are setting will yield good results.

End

©️Abdul Karim Kargbo

A Former Sierra Leone Premier League Board Member, Owner Hillside Football Academy SL (Division 2, U15,U17), a seasoned sports analyst and more…

*SLFA Youth Football Coordinator Engages Zilina Africa FC Chairman on Football Development in Ghana*

By: Abdul Karim Kargbo

Youth football development in Sierra Leone is improving rapidly under the leadership of Alimamy Kuriash Conteh - the impeccable SLFA Youth Football Coordinator.

From grassroots football competitions, coaches development to international traveling opportunities for young players in Sierra Leone, the SLFA YFC has ensured he establishes the links for these young lads to unleash their potentials by all means necessary in international football.

By making strategic investments on grassroots football developments, the Youth Football Coordinator Alimamy Kurash Conteh is in Ghana enrouting to Germany where he is taking five young Sierra Leone players to ply their trade in the German League; has held a strategic meeting with the chairman of Zilina Africa FC in Accra, Ghana.

Mr Ishmael Lemptey a Ghanian who is presently representing Zilina FC, one of Slovakia’s most successful clubs that believes in empowering young African players.

Chairman Lamtey is an engineer who has a wealth of experience in African football development. In their meeting, Lamtey expressed his appreciation to work with Sierra Leone in promoting youth football in Africa and Europe at large. Stating that with such engagement, they can help promote African players in Europe through Zilina Africa operations and the role of the Youth Football Coordinator in SL

Speaking to this medium, Alimamy Kuriash Conteh expressed delight about their engagement as issues involving possible partnership, players development, establishment of Zilina Africa SL Chapter and among many other issues were deliberated. YFC said: “I am confident that with such zest from Engineer Lamtey and their activities in most African countries, he is desirous to come to Sierra Leone and to establish similar project. He further stated that Lamtey is willing to help Sierra Leonean young players to play professional football in Europe.“

Mr Conteh was taken on a conducted tour of Zilina Africa facilities in Ghana, as a show of motivation towards their project and how they can develop same in Sierra Leone with strong football partnership.

*NATIONAL SHADOW U15 SAFELY ARRIVES IN FREETOWN AFTER SUCCESSFUL FRIENDLY MATCHES IN PORT LOKO AND MAKENI*

The Shadow National U15 which comprises of mainly players from Western Area has safely returned to Freetown after completing the first Phase of a proposed National tour, team departed Freetown on Saturday 11th of December 2021 to engage the North-West U15 Combine in a friendly and Talent identification Match on Saturday, the match ended 0-0 as both teams failed to break the deadlock.

The team then enroute to Makeni on Sunday 12 December 2021 were they engaged the Northeast U15 Combine in other exciting friendly match at the Wusum field.
North Eastern U15 came out victorious as they won by 2 goals to 1.

The Head coach of the National Under 15 team Abu Sankoh who was also part of the trip, used the opportunity to identify potential Players from the two regions to be monitored for future national U15 call up.

Head Coach of the Shadow National Daniel Conteh and his technical team expressed delight for the opportunity given to them, as they considered this as a sacred national duty.

National Coordinator for Youth Football *Alimamy Conteh (Kurash)* expressed his optimism by saying the future is bright for our country's football, he further thank the football Association for *Fully supporting these friendlies and Talent identification process,* and encouraged other individuals and corporate bodies to support youths football as that is the future for our country's football development.

*"I'm very much impressed with the performance of the Northwest and Northeast U15 as well as the Shadow National U15 team, this will help us to identify more young talents across the country,"* Said Almamy Conteh.

Mr Conteh also disclosed that they will engaged in more friendlies to identify young players for the development of youth football in Sierra Leone.

The shadow National team will resume their training sessions by midweek in preparation for more friendlies when schools are closed for the December holidays

*Stay tuned for more updates*

*©️Media Attached👉Menez*

*North East Region Football Association Chairman Brima Jalloh Visited the Shadow National U15 Team at Wusum field Ahead of their Match Against The Northeast U15 Combine.*

The Chiarman of the Northeastern Region Football Association Mr Brima Jalloh(BJ) who also doubles as the Exco Member in charge of Youth football in the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), paid a visit to the Shadow National Under15 team that held a warming up session at Wusum field in the early hours of Sunday 12th December 2021

He encouraged the boys to take this game serious as this will give them opportunities to be selected to represent the Country in upcoming Under 15 competitions.

Mr. Jalloh further expressed his delight at the selection process as he said "from what I am seeing so far, I must say these players were carefully selected, as their faces are very young, and by all indications they are within the age limit"

The Shadow National Under 15 team will play their second game in the first Phase of a proposed National Tour today against the North East U15 at 2:45pm at Wusum Field in Makeni, the team was held to a 0-0 draw with the Northwest U15 yesterday the 11th December, 2021 in Port Loko.

The team will return to Freetown immediately after their match with Northeastern combine

*Stay Tuned for more update*

*©️Media Attached- Menez*

*National Shadow U15 Team Arrived Safely In Portloko*

The Shadow National Under15 team has safely arrived in Port Loko District to play a friendly match with the Best of Northwestern Region, the match is scheduled to play at 3pm at the Port Loko mini stadium.

The purpose of this friendly is to give Under 15 players in port loko the opportunity to play in front of the National U15 Technical team so that they can exhibit their talents for future call up.

The Delegation which is headed by Alimamy Kurash Conteh who is the Coordinator for Youth football in the Country.

The head Coach of the National Under 15, Coach Abu Sankoh is also part of the delegation.

Another news, the Team will immediately travel to Makeni after the Match in Port Loko, where they are also expected to play against the best of the Northeastern region on Sunday 12th December, 2021 at the Wusum Field.

*©️ N.S.T Media Team*

NORTHEAST REGION U-15 EDGED AZ FOUNDATION IN A WARM-UP ENCOUNTER

Coach Abu Zagalo Conteh lads in the evening hours of Monday, November 29th 2021 at the Makeni Wusum Field engaged in a friendly encounter with a formidable grassroots side AZ Foundation as part of his preparations for the National U-15 competition scheduled to commence in December this year in Kenema.

AZ Foundation proved to be very stubborn during the first half against the North East Region U-15 a side that just concluded in selecting twenty-five players across the region as it ended goalless at the break.

The second half encounter ended very thrilling, Osman Mansaray for the North East Region U-15 side wasted no time to break the deadlock, Ibrahim Sow extended the lead to 2-0.
Osman Mansaray scored again for the second time to bag a brace, whilst Aruna Kamara scored a concellation for the AZ Foundation before the wrap up of actions as it ended 3-1 to North East Region U-15 side.

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*⚽⚽FRIENDLY FRIENDLY⚽⚽*

*SUNDAY 28TH NOVEMBER, 2021*

Fulltime

FC KALLON U15 1️⃣🦅

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SHADOW NATIONAL U153️⃣🇸🇱

* ANGOLA FIELD*

BOMBALI DISTRICT CONCLUDES ONE DAY UNDER 15 TRIALS

Ahead of the much anticipated U15 regional tour and the National championship in Kenema, the Northern regional headquarter district of Bombali has on Tuesday, November, 23rd 2021 conducted one-day district trials for Under 15 players at the Wusum field in Makeni

*NORTHWEST REGION FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION*
*Office of the Head of Media and Marketing*
Alama Road, Port Loko City, Sierra Leone.
[email protected]
+23276933225/+23288179071

*PRESS RELEASE*
MONDAY 22ND NOVEMBER 2021

*REQUEST FOR MALE U15 TRIALS*

The Northwest Region Football Association wishes to inform the general public and regional clubs that it has received instructions from the SLFA Director of Competitions in an email dated 17th November 2021 to assemble U15 prospects for the Provincial Tour of Western Area U15 slated for 26th-27th November 2021.

*The Provincial Tour of the Western Area U15* is to play a friendly match with the Northwest Region counterpart in Port Loko to compliment the U15 National Festival in Kenema.

In lieu of the aforementioned information, the Northwest Region is requesting to clubs to make the availability of *U15 players* in a bid to commence a regional trial in preparation for the forthcoming slated friendly tie.

Therefore, clubs' Management are cordially requested to make their players available for trials at the Regional Secretariat, Alama Road, Port Loko City, whilst the trials commence on Tuesday 23rd and ends Friday 26th November, 2021.

For more inquiries, clubs are advised to contact the Regional Secretary, Alama Road, Port Loko City.

signed:
*Mansurr Koroma,*
*Head of Media and Marketing,*
*Northwest Region Football Association*