THE annual football scouting programme by Viva was launched yesterday by former Manchester United goalkeeping legend Peter Schmeichel.
The Viva Bahrain-Manchester United Soccer Schools (MUSS) programme is a highly successful community development project, now in its fourth year.
It is being organised by VIVA in association with Manchester United.
This year Bahrain Football Association (BFA) has stepped in to support the programme which will begin with an inter-club tournament on April 25 and 26. Boys and girls in the age group of 13 to 15 can take part in the event.
Renowned coaches from MUSS will be coming to Bahrain to evaluate the football skills and pick the top 22 contenders who will get a chance to train for a week, from June 15 to 21, at Man United’s Carrington grounds, the same venue where the United first team hold their practice sessions.
Speaking at the launch, Man United Club ambassador Schmeichel praised the initiative saying it was a good launching pad for football stars of tomorrow.
“I’ve been amazed by the passion of the United fans here in Manama and the welcome I have received has been fantastic,” said the 50-year-old Dane standing tall at 6’3″ and graceful in a blood red T-shirt and dark jeans and hair neatly combed back in typical Michael Douglas style.
Schmeichel is most famously known as the legendary goalkeeper of Man United with whom he won almost all the titles on offer in the world of club football, including the famous treble in 1999 as captain of the team apart from Uefa honours in 1992 with Denmark.
“The VIVA Manchester United Soccer Schools initiative is a brilliant opportunity to get kids from all communities playing football, and it gives us a chance to perhaps unearth the game’s next big star,” said Schmeichel who, believe it or not, has also scored 11 goals during his goalkeeping career, including one for his national team.
“We are proud to be associated with Viva. This is a fantastic programme and well run. But you don’t spot a star in a day. It is a gradual process as kids develop over a period of time. They develop physically, technically and as they develop their skill levels also develop. So you can’t have stars overnight,” said Schmeichel.
Schmeichel was more open, and even blunt, when it came to this year’s Premier League and his team’s chances.
“I don’t think we (Man United) have a chance,” he said with brutal honesty. “It seems like a three team race now. Arsenal look good and Arsene Wenger deserves more than what he’s getting now.
“I supported Chelsea for a while but then they started losing a few games and I stopped supporting anybody. To me it is more like who can I tolerate as champions,” he said raising a wild chuckle among the audience.
VIVA CEO Ulaiyan Al Wetaid emphasised the fact that the partnership with BFA would help in achieving greater success. “After three years of targeting schools and individuals, we believe that through the participation of the clubs under the umbrella of BFA we can hope for better representation and success,” said Al Wetaid, who refused to divulge how much the project was costing the company.
“That is (financial aspect) secondary. What is primary is that we are having this programme and running it successfully. We are taking some talented players to the next level which is important. By this programme we are also fulfilling our social responsibility,” said Al Wetaid.
Later in the evening, Schmeichel inaugurated the VIVA Manchester United Zone at Bahrain City Centre where soccer fans got an opportunity to get his autograph and have photographs taken with him.