The Young Footballers Of La Pulaie

Many of us stayed up past our bedtime last weekend to watch the European Champions League Finals between Manchester United and Barcelona. It was an easy win for the Catalans, who won 3 to 1 against the giants of English football. United, a team not easily outclassed, were indeed, for against Barcelona few teams can shine.

What set Barca apart was fleetness of foot and thought. Importantly, United were unable to contain the team play of Barcelona. It has been said that the foundations for the Catalans current success were established three decades ago when Johan Cryuff introduced "total football" and a much admired youth program based at "la Masia" (the country house). Eight players in the starting line-up for last week’s UEFA Finals, including manager Pep Guardiola, were trained at the academy, where they don't just learn how to play the ball together at an early age, but where education is also impressed. The thing about La Masia that sets it apart is that it attempts to create well rounded human beings as well as football players. Some of the players from the second team are part-time University students. None of the Barcelona players of this generation are as well known for their off field antics as their football.

In Brunei we have the Sports School in Pulaie that houses 43 local boys from the ages of 12 to 18 who have the desire to hone their skills in hopes of playing professional football. I was told that most of the students come from under-privileged backgrounds, but there is no shame in wanting a better future for your children. Students receive free basic necessities and food, maybe a better environment to live in, but they also get an education, are disciplined and trained as best as the budget can handle. Currently, in transit accommodation at the Unissa hostels, they get bussed to the Sport School in the mornings for their education. In the afternoons they undergo rigorous training at the football field under the watchful eye of their Head Coach. I watched the Under-15s train a few days ago, observing in awe just how nimble their young feet are. The coach gave me some time and yelled instructions to the boys in between. He proudly tells me that he coaches our young footballers in the Coerver method. It looks tough.

The Sports School does not provide the only football youth development programme in the country. We also have Muara-Vella, run by a private local individual who selflessly trains a football club. Then there is the indomitable Projek Ikan Pusu (Proyecto Boquerone), run by Curriculum Development under the Ministry of Education, and sponsored mostly by NBT.

The Projek Ikan Pusu was the first one of it's kind in Brunei, looked after by BAFA and the Ministry of Education. It suffered a setback, but then who didn't, during the BAFA kerfuffle. It remains one of the longest running youth programs.

The ban on international football for Brunei may have been more vocalised by the older teams but the young ones felt it just as badly. "The boys felt like only being able to play in the kampung", the Sport School's Head Coach said, breathing a huge sigh of relief when the ban was lifted just a few days ago. Something to aim for, in the case of footballers, and recognition both locally and internationally, are essential ingredients to long term success.

The Catalans got it right I reckon. Let the boys play with a ball, with a team they grew up with, make sure they are grounded and well educated enough to handle the excesses of youth, enormous amounts of cash, or if they don't make the cut, a life after football. They believed in a solid foundation. Which is what our young footballers yearn for.

A solid foundation does not come out of thin air. Perhaps more concern, recognition and, truth be told, more resources, should be given to our institutions responsible for our bright young athletes. After all, investing home grown talent is cost-effective and as Barcelona has shown time and time again, it is a model that works.

And these days you don’t have to be an enormous tall athlete to be successful at the highest level, just look at Lionel Messi. At the sports school I watched the talented left-footed 13 year old Naziruddin Hj Ismail, nicknamed Little Messi by his team mates, play.

Just because we are small, it doesn't mean we can't strive.

@emmagoodegg

Illustration by Cuboi Art.

For the online version with the double title click here.

Comments

[emmagoodegg]

Dear Hazirah - Thank you for your comments! Note to self: Must write a story on Muara-Vella soon :) xx

[Hazirah]

Thanks for the brief info on Muara-Vella! I think they have a netball team too. I've always wondered where they were from, thought they were a family team.