By Vestnik Kavkaza
In the framework of preparation for FIFA World Cup 2018, a team of experts and analysts, including representatives of such major companies as Ricewaterhouse consulting company and CMS, has already written a program of development of Russian football. One of the parts of the program is devoted to development of children’s and youth football in Russia
Valery Gazayev, a holder of UEFA Cup, an Honored Coach of the USSR, thinks that one of the main problems of children’s and youth football is lack of professional coaches. “According to Pricewaterhouse Company, today about 10 thousand coaches are working in Russia, and only a third of them have licenses,” Gazayev said. He made an example of Germany: 70 thousand licensed coaches are working with children there. “That’s why we cannot speak about qualitative development of children’s and youth football. The problem is very important, and the sooner we solve it, the sooner we will get a high-class product in the sphere of children’s and youth football,” Valery Gazayev is sure.
The football expert thinks that another problem is poor broadcasting of children’s and youth football tournaments by the mass media. “The mass media rarely cover matches of our young promising players, starting from 12-year-olds. I think they should pay more attention to them. I don’t know whether our children’s and youth sports schools rarely visit tournaments or the mass media doesn’t report on them. It is an honor for a young player, when journalists report on him. They feel happy and this gives them hope for a future,” Valery Gazayev says. He thinks that it is necessary to make all professional clubs pay 10% of prizes in the national championship to development of children’s and youth football: “This aspect is very important, as the majority of prizes are spent on the main team, I know it quite well. And only crumbs are spent on children’s football. The lack of financial abilities is the reason for this.”
Not so long ago football experts decided to develop a scheme for a United Football League, which would unite the championships of Russia and Ukraine. It was aimed at improving competitiveness, i.e. making football interesting for the audience. However, according to Gazayev, in the context of the recent political events that are going on in Ukraine, they have to forget about a united championship. “It is not relevant anymore, even though the idea was brilliant. I think tournaments which were organized in winter and summer demonstrated the high level of football and the great interest of fans. We are sorry that the championship won’t come true. I think it could be one of the strongest championships in Europe. However, the experience of creating the United Football League was analyzed and included in our programme,” Valery Gazayev said.
