Former Arsenal hero and Captain Patrick Vieira along with two other former football icons, namely Bernard Zama and Jimmy Adjoui Boco have given hope to the Senegalese football with the establishment of a 9 billion CFA multi media section, called Diambars Saly situated at the southern part of Dakar.
A multi media section which is 60 km away from the Senegalese capital was co-founded by the trio to help build the future of the less privileged children whose parents cannot afford to pay their school fees, as well as those who wanted to excel to the highest level in football.
The ultimate objective of setting up this project or football academy, which also includes sports and education section in Diambars Saly is to help teach and educate less privileged kids so as to improve on their living conditions, as well as to help the aspiring youngsters excel at the international standard, if the words of the Head Master of the Academy Amadou Tambedou are any thing to go by.
Tambedou was speaking to African journalists who were held on a conducted tour of the multi media centre during their One Week stay in Dakar, as part of the final phase of the AFP-FIFA media professional training course on Monday.
Tambedou disclosed to our reporter that a total of six (6) kids have already put pen to paper on professional contracts in different European countries, such as Norway and France. He described the contract as excellent news for the Academy that has over 88 students.
The players who are recently been exported to top European clubs Tambedou pointed out is an excellent news for the school, given the fact that they have already secured a regular first team place in their respective clubs.
The multi media complex which is currently enjoying the partnership of few companies, such as UNESCO, City Sports, OVYY, NMA, Adidas Tambedou added will soon introduce female participation if they reach an agreement with their Norwegian counterparts.
Cheikh Mousa Kamara, the Technical Adviser of the school, who also spoke to the FIFA media participants, revealed that the academy has already produced a total of 11 professionals since the inception of the project in 2003.
The Academy duo, Macky Diop and `Dioulde Miane who also spoke to this reporter underscored the importance of the academy to their lives, adding that it has helped them greatly in terms of job opportunity, as well as on their career as footballers.
Vieira who visited the section once in a year was born in a village, called Saly, located at the Southern part of Dakar, Senegal and moved to France along with his parents at the age of 8 years.
The Senegalse born French iconic has a historic moment during his time with the English giants Arsenal, where he helped the club to a series of titles during his long spell with Arsene Wenger’s men serving as the team captain.
The Former Juventus and Inter Milan midfield kingpin, who has played for a host of top European clubs now ply his trade with Manchester City in the English Premier League in a bid to regain his position in the current French World Cup squad.
