Posted on November 08, 2011 12:35
AmaZulufc.net picks the brains of 17 year old scholars Luke Baker and Xolile Gwagwa from Thomas More College near Hillcrest whom the club recently assisted in offering them a chance to obtain a three day work experience in the Usuthu fold.
Professional clubs are always in undated with requests from aspirant footballers seeking trials and a chance to play in the different divisions within them.
The grade 11 pupils spent their first day under Development Head Ronnie Moroka, getting a clear picture on how development teams and the first team trains on a day to day basis before wrapping things up with a full day’s work in the AmaZulu office.
The young lads were happy to report in-depth:
Question: What was your reason for approaching the club for the work experience?
Answer: Luke Barker (LK) -It’s our local team that I support in the PSL, so I wanted to find out how a professional club is run and how the players, coaches and back ground staff work – as I would like to become a footballer one day.
Answer: Xolile Gwagwa (XG) -I wanted to do something that involved football considering the fact that I want to play professionally.
I wanted to see how the professionals ‘do it’ and how they prepare for important home games like the Ajax and Celtics games.
Q: Tell us about your current club and where you play on the field?
A: LK -Forest Hill is average, its a u13's league. They don’t take it seriously but Westville Academy is very good as they are all aspiring footballers like me and it’s very well run.
I play as a striker and on the wing but I prefer striker.
A: XG -Currently I don’t play for a club but I will be joining Brazza Academy who are based in Hillcrest and it is leaded by Anderson Jussion, an ex Palmerais (Brazil club) player.
I play number 8 – behind the strikers as an attacking midfielder.
Q: What have you learnt that you didn’t know about professional clubs?
A: LK -I have learnt a lot of things like what all the players and coaches do on a day to day basis as well as all of the important things the background staff do, which is very important in the running of the club.
They should get as much credit as the players and coaches too.
A: XG -I’ve learnt that there is a lot that goes into clubs besides just what the players do.
Things like admin, marketing and finance which are an important part of the club.
Without these components, a club wouldn’t survive. I also learnt that security measures for games are quite important especially if a club also has a few negative supporters.
Q: What are your future plans?
A: LK -To get into professional football and maybe playing for AmaZulu would be great.
Hopefully I will get scouted soon by a professional team and I can start my career and make a name for myself.
The dream would come true and in a few years time people will be watching me run out to play at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Maybe also going overseas to study sports management or try to become a footballer there.
A: XG -My future plans aren’t that complicated, I just want to play football at a professional level.
Q: Who is your favourite player at AmaZulu?
A: LK -My favourite player has to be Donovan Thompson. I think he is a great young footballer who at 18 has already started for Usuthu so he is an important young footballer like me.
A: XG -My favourite player is Stanton Lewis because he is a fantastic player in my opinion and a future star of South African football.