Premiership giants view expansion of football school to rest of the region

Tan Yo -Hinn

yohinn@mediacorp.com.sg

WITH academies in the United States, Portugal, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa and Australia, the Manchester United Soccer School (MUSS) are looking to make Singapore their regional base, with an eye on reaching out to the rest of this region.

“We’re trying to create greater awareness of United’s brand of football in the region,” said Ian Gerard de Souza, Kirkwall Pte Ltd’s sports division head. “We have plans to organise MUSS camps here and in Kuala Lumpur in June, and in Jakarta in later this year.”

Kirkwall, a locally-based investment holding company, secured the rights late last year to

run the MUSS in South-east Asia for the next two years.

They helped organise the first MUSS camp here in December last year, and are currently in

talks with the Singapore Sports Council and Economic Development Board to help set up their

regional base here.

“We’re looking for a place with a full-sized astroturf to facilitate our activities, which also

includes community outreach programmes for under-privileged children,” said de Souza, 43.

About 10,000 square feet in floor space, and $2 million is required to get the MUSS — open

to players from ages seven to 18 — up and running.

De Souza said: “The economic situation has set our plans back a few months. Hopefully, it

will be ready by the third quarter this year.”

De Souza was speaking at a clinic at Anglo-Chinese Junior College yesterday, where about

25 students underwent a twohour session conducted by MUSS Singapore head coach Robin van

der Laan, 40.

Next week, the Dutchman will conduct the second MUSS camp at SAFRA Tampines. The

training will be based on the Manchester United Academy Programme used by manager Alex

Ferguson to groom players like Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.

“The emphasis is on skill and individual player development, on dominating one-on-one situations,” said van der Laan. “We try to create players who are comfortable on the ball, can work a skill to create space, and can play anywhere on the field.”

Fellow MUSS coaches Lee Merrick, Wayne Watkins and Tony Byrne, as well as local players

such as S Subramani and Aide Iskandar, will also be present. The fee for the course (March

16-20) is $525, but de Souza said: “Here, you get trained by coaches specially flown in from United.”

Visit www.muss.sg for more details.