SUPERSPORT UNITED/TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR ACADEMY PARTNERSHIP

Courtesy of the Official Site-

The Club is delighted to announce the formation of a partnership with SuperSport United in South Africa that will see the clubs' Academies working together.
Damien Comolli, Tottenham Hotspur Sporting Director, said: “This represents an excellent opportunity for both Clubs. It is a mutually beneficial partnership that will see both our academies gain from the association.” Tottenham Hotspur Academy Manager John McDermott said: “There is a coaching exchange element that will see our coaches share their methodology and tactics with their South African counterparts. There are also opportunities for top young talent from both teams to travel to Europe and Africa on a regular basis and train with the respective squads in exchange programmes and compete in tournaments.” Comolli continues: “We will aim to bring one or two players a year over to train with our home grown talent, and I do not think it is unrealistic to expect that, in a few years’ time, the majority of players in the South African national squad will have come from the SuperSport Academy. We will look to develop talent – talent that may have a place with us, but also talent for the South African game. The deal is a win/win situation for Spurs and for SuperSport United players and fans.” Stanley Matthews, SuperSport United Director of Football, expressed his delight with the partnership. He said: “We are a young club, celebrating our tenth anniversary this year. We feel proud to be officially linked to a truly great club such as Tottenham Hotspur who are rich with heritage and tradition. We are confident that this partnership will leave a legacy far beyond the technical and scientific dimension to the relationship. As South Africa moves towards the 2010 World Cup, SuperSport United sees this partnership with Tottenham Hotspur as a watershed moment that will shape the destiny of South African football as well as football development in the African continent.” SuperSport United Chairman Khulu Sibiya said that the association with Tottenham Hotspur represented a wonderful opportunity for young South African players from disadvantaged backgrounds to transcend their personal situations and themselves become role models. He said: “Our youngsters now have access to the highest level of coaching expertise from one of the greatest Clubs in the world. They have every reason to believe that this hard work will be richly rewarded, not only financially but also in education and life skill development.” SuperSport, based in South Africa, broadcasts across the continent – five time zones, 57 countries and 1.7m households. It covers approximately 100 sport codes including the Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, IRB World Cup Rugby, ICC Cricket World Cup and the Commonwealth Games and owns an interest in various sports teams – two rugby, one football (SuperSport United FC) and three cricket. SuperSport is also an founder sponsor of the National Sports Trust, South Africa’s most respected sports development body. CLICK HERE for the official SuperSport United website. Tottenham Hotspur has a special place in its heart for South Africa, a relationship that goes back to the time of the double-winning side of the 1960’s and the country has always made Spurs feel very welcome on the two tours we have made since then. Most recently, the squad went to South Africa this summer on a pre-season tour. The tour saw the squad take time out to meet with children from the SOS Children’s Village in Cape Town – a charitable project the Club holds dear. Using funds from the players’ fine money and underwritten by the Club, the Club has funded the construction of an SOS Children’s house for orphaned and abandoned children in Rustenberg. For more information on the SOS Children’s Villages, visit www.soschildrensvillages.org.ukThe Supersport Tottenham Hotspur Academy will be officially launched at half time of the Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal game on Saturday September 15 at White Hart Lane.

Linked here: http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/supersporttottenhamhotspuracademypartnership140907.html