Tanzania join forces with Britain's No 1 school to unearth Football talents

By Jestina George,
“Tanzania has taken the first step towards producing their first Premier League player – thanks to Eton College, England’s premier public school.

Eton Coach, Glen Pierce speaking at the press conference on Friday 10 Jan 2014 at Tanzania House London. 

Together with Safarihub and charity organisation ACE Africa, Eton are sending Glen Pierce, head of sports, plus Ali Lyon, 19, Nicholas Zafirios, 18,  and Tom Pearson,18, who are on a gap year before starting university, to Tanzania to teach local children the finer arts of football.

Ali has already passed his  Level 1 Football Association coaching badge and the quartet cannot wait for the challenge ahead of them.

Coach Glen Pierce with Eton students who will be travelling to Tanzania, Nicolas Zafiriou, Ali Lyon and Tom Pearson

Pierce said: “We are about to embark on a wonderful trip. I have taught at Eton for 27 years and was offered the opportunity to take a sabbatical. This is an chance to see a new country with boys I tutored. We shall be going into schools to coach and to encourage kids to attend school through football. If they do not go to school they will not have this opportunity. We want to attract them to go to school and football is the icing on the cake. I hope the boys will be an encouragement to local kids.”

Eton was founded in 1440 and among the college’s more recent famous old boys are Prime Minister David Cameron, Mayor of London Boris Johnson, the Archbishop of Canterbury plus Prince Harry and Prince William, who Pierce taught.

Minister Counsellor  Amos Msanjila speaking Freddy Macha & Urban Pulse

Amos Msanjila, Minister Counselor of the High Commission, did not hide his pride about the venture. He said: “We are honoured to have the boys going because Eton is not a normal school. In Tanzania we do not have a culture of different schools, but I have been in England long enough to know which school you attend matters. Eton has produced 19 Prime Ministers so, as I said, it is not a normal school. The boys could have gone to any country in Africa, indeed in the world, and we have so much pleasure that they chose Tanzania.” 

Director of  Safari Hub, Dilip Navapurkar  speaking at the press conference on Friday 10 Jan 2014 at Tanzania House London.

Dilip Navapurkar from Safarihub said: “I recently formed the company and one aim is to set up a pilot scheme to play football. We hope to see Tanzania qualify for the World Cup for the first time and produce some top-class Premier League footballers, but it will not happen overnight.

"Tanzania has the raw talent, it is our belief that we will one day produce players who will perform on the world's biggest stage."

John Collenette, chairman of ACE Africa and Future Stars Academy, said: “I have been in Tanzania for five years and I am particularly excited about this venture. Children have different problems to confront in their daily lives and we are committed to help them.”

High Commissioner Peter Kallaghe speaking at the press conference on Friday 10 Jan 2014 at Tanzania House London.

Peter Kallaghe, the High Commissioner, hosted a reception in London on Friday to announce the collaboration with Eton College and sent the football party away with his best wishes. He said:“We are greatly honoured by this initiative. We are fully behind a wonderful plan. Eton has produced 19 British Prime Ministers, maybe we have the 20th travelling to Tanzania this weekend."

High Commissioner Pete Kallaghe poses with guests after the press conference.
Images by Urban Pulse