Football: Goal project 2-Construction of technical and residential training centre approved |06 October 2004

The Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) will be able to build the technical and residential training centre in the coming months after once again benefiting from the Fédération internationale de football association (Fifa) Goal development programme.

In fact, Seychelles is one of five African countries to have had their projects accepted by the Goal Bureau.

A total of 27 new projects were approved by the Goal Bureau last month when it convened in Zurich, Switzerland, under the chairmanship of Mohamad Bin Hamman of Qatar.

The multi-purpose technical and residential training centre is the SFF’s second Goal project and the local football body has said that its construction is crucial in the development of football here.

The Seychelles Government has provided 3,192 square metres of land adjacent to the existing Goal project for the construction of the technical and residential training centre.

The project will comprise 30 air-conditioned rooms furnished to a high standard, a modern conference/training room to sit 800 people, a fully equipped gym and changing rooms for Goal project 1.

The project is estimated at US$775,000 (approximately R4,650,000). US$400,000 will be financed by Fifa, US$20,000 will come from SFF’s savings and US$175,000 from the Seychelles Government in terms of the land.

It is to be noted that the SFF benefited from Goal project 1 in 2002 for the construction a full-size and two futsal size floodlit Astro-turf pitches. The project started on July 1, 2002 and was completed on September 30, 2002.

The SFF has said that the residential facilities will allow it to gather and accommodate players at minimal costs during weekends and holidays for intensive training prior to international matches.

The centre will also assist teams travelling to Mahe to play in the different leagues.

With the technical and residential training centre as well as the Astro-turf pitches, it is expected that high level teams will visit Seychelles for training camps and play friendly matches.

It is worth noting that the SFF acquired two buses earlier this year to transport young footballers and other athletes to and from training grounds.

G. G.