The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
HIGHLANDERS are set to begin 2018 with the crafting of a youth development policy as the club seeks a clear system of player recruitment and development of players from juniors to the senior team.
A committee is being put in place that will come up with an initial document that will be presented to members at the club’s annual general meeting scheduled for end of January.
The club’s chief executive officer, Nhlanhla Dube said while it is known there has always been the “Highlanders way” there has been some deviation along the way, something which could be contributing to the senior team’s struggles on the field of play.
He said they felt it was time the policy was recaptured and documented as there is no written down framework on how senior team coaches should relate to juniors particularly when it comes to recruitment for the Premiership side.
“The Highlanders way has always been there but I think because it is not documented it has been lost as coaches come up with their own formula which at times is at odds with what has been traditionally practiced at the club.
“We feel it is critical that it should be stated again so that it becomes documented as a policy framework, as an offering so that every coach understands how we recruit and train from entry level until players get to the senior team,” said Dube.
He said the process is being done in collaboration with people of good standing in the history of the club.
Bosso were known for their famed junior policy that was a factory of churning out exceptional talent that would go on to illuminate not only the local Premier League but other leagues outside the country.
Highlanders members have used annual general meetings to express their displeasure at the trend to buy players wholesale instead of following the club’s yesteryear policy that saw juniors seamlessly moving into the senior team.
However despite resolutions being passed that senior team coaches’ main priority would be promoting juniors to the senior team instead of buying players wholesale, this has not been the case on the ground.
Fans have preferred seeing home grown talent donning the back and white stripe with only a few additions coming on board to fill in yawning gaps.
