EFA AIMS TO END 7-YR CAF TRAINING FREEZE HANDICAP

MBABANE – Revealed!

The Eswatini Football Association (EFA) plans to tackle a long-standing hurdle for coaches by seeking the resumption of the CAF A Licence training programme. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) A Coaching has been unavailable since 2017, due to a coaching manual readjustment by the continental football mother body. This has left coaches with CAF B licences unable to progress for seven years.

The A Licence signifies the peak of coaching expertise, equipping coaches with advanced technical and tactical knowledge to manage professional teams and compete at the highest levels. It is a prerequisite for national team coaches and those aspiring to participate in continental tournaments like the TotalEnergies Champions League or Confederations Cup.

This publication understands that, currently, around 20 domestic coaches possess this qualification, which is also a minimum requirement to lead a team in the MTN Premier League. Meanwhile, EFA Marketing and Communications Officer Muzi ‘Rhoo’ Radebe confirmed plans to apply for the carrying on of the CAF A Licence course.

Authorised

“CAF courses are authorised by the Confederation of African Football, and the EFA is planning to make an application for this course as part of the preparations for the upcoming new season (2025/26),’’ he said.
Efforts to reach the Eswatini Football Coaches Association (EFCA) for comment were unsuccessful.
However, a coach awaiting the course and who preferred to be unnamed expressed his appreciation for the development.

“It’s been a long wait. The application’s approval would be a huge relief, as attending the course in neighbouring countries can be inconvenient and expensive. This ought to be treated as a matter of urgency if we’re serious about steering our football to the right horizons,” the coach said.

It is worth noting that a few Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) countries are offering this training. They are Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, and South Africa (SA). It took SA six years to offer the course after it was frozen. A four-phase programme began in November 2023 and ended in June last year. There were 25 participants and its fee of stood at E15 000.

However, CAF’s criteria for Member Associations (MAs) to conduct the course involve a structured Technical Department. This includes detailed information on personnel qualifications and responsibilities. EFA’s current Technical Director is Boy “Bizzah” Mkhonta.

Comprehensive

Additional requirements include a comprehensive course programme with practical and theoretical content, presentation slides for each topic, examination procedures, a coach education action plan, and a designated head of education.

However, beyond this course is the CAF Pro-Licence. It is reserved for highly-experienced coaches and it prepares them for the most demanding roles, including leading national teams at major international tournaments such as the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and FIFA World Cup.

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