Belgian Pro League K.A.A Gent's head scout on the African continent, Harry Varley, shared his insights after a talent detection tournament held at Tapis Rouge football pitch in Kigali on Thursday.
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Varley emphasized that many young African players believe talent alone is enough to succeed in football.
"I was here in 2019. I have seen impressive improvement in terms of technique and game understanding among these boys," Varley stated. He also noted that there is still room for growth, as many African young players underestimate the importance of hard work in today&039;s football.
"Talent is always the foundation, but in today's game, it's not enough. Football has become more scientific, and players need to put in the effort both on and off the pitch," Varley explained.
Despite this, he expressed excitement about the talents he discovered during the tournament and mentioned that videos of these players will be sent to the technical director for further evaluation.
The talent detection tournament, organized by Jimmy Mulisa's Umuri Foundation, brought together boys aged between 15-19 years old from three Kigali-based youth teams: APR Academy, Inter-force, and Umuri Sports Team.
"Having Varley here is not something we can take for granted. It's a great opportunity for these young boys to showcase their talents."
The connection between Mulisa and Varley was established through their shared passion for discovering young talents in Africa. Mulisa explained: "Varley has been traveling across Africa in search of young talents. I got his contacts from a friend, reached out to him, and he agreed to come here."
This talent detection tournament provided an amazing experience for the players involved. Abdul Karim Jamal, one of the participants, said: "We came here to try our chances, and it was a great opportunity. We don't know if any of us will be selected, but it was a good experience."