Tanzania youngsters impress Germans at Dar camp

Dar es Salaam. Youngsters featuring in a special soccer camp in the city, have impressed instructors from one of the best football playing nations in the world – Germany – for their amazing skills.

The week-long camp, which started on Saturday at the JMK Youth Park, is the outcome of good partnership between Magnet Youth Sports Organisation and Germany Leipzig University.

“It is clear to us that the youngsters want to learn. They are always listening to the coaches,” said Germany’s football expert Martin Hammel yesterday. Hammel hailed the young players saying, if well groomed, they would excel internationally.

He is one of two German instructors, who are conducting the camp featuring 120 young players and 25 local coaches. “An attribute that has been very present throughout the past two days, and…which we have been quite impressed with, is good attitude,” he said.

“The willingness to learn the game is evident in the youngsters and their positive attitudes clearly reflect that,” he added.

The camp, which is aimed to transform Tanzania’s football fortunes, is supported by RB Leipzig striker Yussuf Poulsen. For his part, Magnet Youth Sports Organisation managing director, Tuntufye Mwambusi, said main objective of the project is to transfer soccer knowledge from German football experts to Tanzanian coaches.

“We are very happy to have two football experts – Andreas Pach and Martin Hammel – here. They are training coaches and young players through their interpreter Veronika Kral,” said Mwambusi.

“Conducting training for local coaches and young players is one of the best ways to turn around our country’s football fortunes,” he added.

According to Mwambusi, the instructors will also conduct training at three schools in Dar es Salaam, where pupils will have a rare opportunity to train under vastly experienced football experts from Europe.

“During their stay here, they will also visit the Faculty of Sports at the University of Dar es Salaam, the National Sports Council and Tanzania Football Federation,” said Mwambusi.

He said the instructors will, among other things, share knowledge and experience with the country’s football authorities on various issues pertaining to youth sports.