Colourful kickoff to AFC U-14 Festival of Football

The AFC”s U-14 Festival of Football for the ASEAN region got underway here today after a colourful and vibrant opening ceremony.

Conceived exclusively to provide players under the age of 14 years with an opportunity to play and gain experience, and develop a sense of sporting and community spirit, the AFC”s Festival of Football stresses on achieving physical, technical and tactical development without any undue emphasis on winning.

Teams from Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Philippines, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Maldives, Australia and Malaysia are taking part in the six-day-long festival which was inaugurated by AFC President Mohamed Bin Hammam.

SSuccess doesn”t come by coincidence and that”s why the AFC has launched Vision Asia to promote grassroots football with an aim to help the players, coaches and referees graduate to a higher level,⬝ said Bin Hammam in his opening speech.

SIt”s a long-term plan and you are Asia”s future. Football is a school of life where you can learn discipline, respect for the opponent, how to work as a team and love for your country.⬝

Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) General Secretary Dato Seri Dr Ibrahim Saad said that the festival would promote not only football but also help to hone the skills of young players.

On the sidelines of the festival, an AFC C” coaching licence and referees courses will be held apart from a workshop for the teams” coaches.

AFC General Secretary Dato Peter Velappan, a delegation of the Italian Football Federation led by its head of Youth and School Department, Luigi Agnolin, Football Federation Australia (FFA)”s National Manager for Coach Education, Kelly Cross, Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Prof. Dato Dr Mohd Salleh Mohd Yasin and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student affairs and Alumni), Prof Dato Dr Mohd Wahid Shamsuddin were also present on the occasion.

AFC