Football masterminds unite: Muhsin, Rulani, Nene Reis headline groundbreaking symposium
South African football enthusiasts are in for a treat as SM Sports Consulting, a frontrunner in football services, gears up to host its inaugural symposium in South Africa.
This two-day knowledge-packed event is scheduled for October 5th and 6th at Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.
The symposium comes on the heels of a successful event held in Blantyre, Malawi, which saw overwhelming participation from Super League and National Team coaches. It aims to cater to the burgeoning interest among South African analysts and scouts, providing them with a platform to expand their expertise.
The symposium boasts an impressive line-up of speakers, each a luminary in their field. Muhsin Ertugral, junior national team coach Simphiwe Dludlu, Shawn Bishop, Wydad Casablanca coach Rulani Mokwena, Nene Reis and Brandon Fourie, sharing their invaluable insights and experiences.
Ertugral, currently technical director of the Turkey football motherbody, has previously coached Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, while Nene Reis is the head scout of FC Universitatea Cluj. Bishop, formerly with Mamelodi Sundowns, is head of methodology at Ettifaq Club in Saudi Arabia. Fourie, head of recruitment at Stellenbosch FC, has been key to the Western Cape club’s scouting processes.
Sinesipho Mali, Performance Analyst at Sekhukhune United and Bafana Bafana, and Tera Maliwa, Head Scout at Kaizer Chiefs, will lead the sessions, drawing on their extensive experience to guide attendees through the intricacies of football performance analysis and technical scouting.
WHAT THE GROUNDBREAKING SYMPOSIUM WILL COVER
The symposium will cover a wide spectrum of topics crucial to modern football, including the following:
- The pivotal role of performance analysis in shaping today’s game
- Understanding key performance indicators specific to different playing positions
- Leveraging data to enhance player performance
- Navigating the latest trends in technical scouting
- Identifying and nurturing young talent
“My experience in Europe during the UEFA Elite Scouting course underscored a crucial need: to enhance knowledge exchange within Africa, particularly in specialised fields that complement coaching,” said SM Sports director Sinesipho Mali.
He further emphasises the company’s dedication to collaborating with experts across technical, scientific, and medical domains to bridge this gap. Mali adds that the symposium is a stepping stone towards hosting more such events across Africa. This is to empower football professionals to elevate the sport to new heights.
The symposium welcomes aspiring performance analysts, coaches, scouts, former players, and football technocrats.
Founded in November 2023 by Mali, SM Sports Consulting is driven by the vision to provide an array of football services. This includes organising symposiums on specialised sports topics. The company is committed to empowering African football professionals and fostering the growth of football on the continent.
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