Teboho Molapo
MASERU — An under-17 team for each Premier League club is likely to become compulsory starting next season as part of plans to transform domestic football from its amateur status.
The development was confirmed by the Lesotho Football Association (Lefa)’s public relations officer, Baba Malephane.
Although details of the youth league are still sketchy, under the proposal each top-flight team will for the first time have an under-17 side.
The idea of an under-17 league was first revealed by this paper in April, and speaking on Tuesday Malephane said the only thing holding up the introduction of the project was the format which would be used.
“What has held us up is the format we want to use for the league,” Malephane told the Sunday Express. “We want give all districts to have an under-17 competition.”
“This is what we want,” Malephane added with regards to each Premiership team having a youth team.
“We might say it is compulsory from next season for all clubs to have under-17 teams.”
Malephane said the development was part of the Mohale Declaration which requires all teams to have youth development systems.
“All Premier League clubs (are obliged) to entertain a youth development programme and to participate in Lefa-organised grassroots and youth leagues including reserve league (by the) beginning of the 2008/09 football season,” the 2008 Mohale Declaration says.
Currently only four teams in Lesotho have youth development systems and a report by the Premier League sent to Fifa last month revealed youth leagues had not been introduced because of “financial constraints”.
However, Malephane said the initiative already had a sponsor.
“I won’t say who the sponsor is but we have agreed everything when it comes to the details of the league,” he said.
“What is left is for me to call the meeting to launch the league.”
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