Ernst Middendorp opens up on new youth orientated project - 'I believe football and education should not fight each other'

The 67-year-old German coach has recently been the subject of intense speculation regarding the vacant managerial position at Durban City.

While reports suggested Middendorp had been providing technical advice and assessments to Durban City chairman Farook Kadodia during the early stages of the season, the coach is now focusing his energy elsewhere.

He officially took up his duties as Director of Football at the Urban Academy in August and has now revealed why this specific project resonated with him.

“My attention got into school football at the beginning of the year when I joined Urban Academy, a private school in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape," he told FARPost.

"What caught my interest even more was how this school, with around 900 students, uses education to drive football.

"It is a priority, which is critical if we want to move forward in South African football, particularly at youth levels from U-13 to U-23.”

The former Maritzburg United boss did not hold back when assessing the current youth development structures within the top-flight PSL clubs.

Addressing the challenges facing the youth game, Middendorp noted: “Let’s be realistic: a lot of PSL clubs don’t have teams at U-11, U-13, U-15, to U-17 level, though some do.

"Academies around the country do their best, but training is only one part; they don’t play enough competitive games, and there aren’t enough academies.

"That means we have to look at schools and do more.

"What I see here at theKay Motsepe tournament, with Urban Academy in particular with the U-19 side, is that they played around 60 games in one year.

"That shows they are very active and playing in tournaments.”

Middendorp’s ultimate goal is to create a blueprint for how football and education can coexist successfully in South Africa.

“My goal and attention are very clear: to build a benchmark, an ecosystem where Urban Academy operates a school and a football club simultaneously.

"We launched the Urban Football Academy at the beginning of September so everything sits under one roof. Let’s see what we can make out of it, because I believe football and education should not fight each other - they must support each other.

"That is what caught my interest over the last few months, especially attending regional tournaments in the Eastern Cape last week and now here at the Kay Motsepe National Finals. Well done to Sanlam and the Motsepe Foundation for always coming on board and supporting these teams both academically and on the pitch.

"These tournaments build stronger communities, and some of these players will inevitably be working as professionals in the future.”