MALAMBO CALLS FOR FOOTBALL TALENT ACADEMIES BEYOND PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
Football Strategy and Development Expert Franklyn Malambo has challenged the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) and other African football associations to establish Football Talent Academies that develop not only players but also the wider professional workforce needed to drive the game.
Writing in his Beyond the 90 column, Malambo argues that African football’s development agenda must move beyond its traditional focus on identifying and nurturing players.
“A Football Talent Academy is a structured development programme that identifies, trains and prepares the next generation of football professionals across the entire football ecosystem — including coaches, technical directors, administrators, analysts, referees, medical staff and other specialist roles,” Malambo said.
He believes Zambia cannot sustainably improve its football by concentrating solely on player development while overlooking the people responsible for coaching, managing and supporting those players.
“We cannot only talk about academies, competitions and pathways to professional football without asking a fundamental question: Who is developing the people who work with players and run football institutions to get desired results?” he asked.
Malambo says modern football requires a multidisciplinary workforce involving coaches, analysts, scouts, technical directors, administrators, medical personnel and performance specialists.
“You cannot build better players without also building better people around them,” he said.
He further argues that football education should move beyond qualifications and certificates towards practical competence, proposing a system that combines education, mentorship, assessment and club placements.
“While FAZ, CAF and FIFA courses provide valuable qualifications, the goal should go beyond certificates to producing professionals who can perform effectively,” Malambo said.
Rather than creating a completely new institution, Malambo proposes that FAZ establish strategic partnerships with universities, professional bodies, clubs, other football associations and international organisations.
He suggests institutions such as UNZA and CBU could provide the academic foundation, NIPA could support administration and management training, while ZCAS/ZICA could contribute expertise in finance and commercial aspects of football.
Clubs, he says, should become “practical laboratories” where participants gain hands-on experience.
“For example, an aspiring analyst should not just spend time in the classroom but should spend eight to 12 weeks within a club to gain hands-on experience,” he said.
Malambo also wants Zambia to broaden its ambitions beyond exporting footballers by developing professionals who can compete internationally.
“We are accustomed to thinking about exporting footballers, but why shouldn’t we export analysts, coaches, scouts, administrators, technical leaders and football executives?” he asked.
He proposes starting with a cohort of 15 to 20 people across different areas before gradually expanding the programme.
“The fact is, whether we like it or not, getting results relies on more than the player. It also depends on the people working behind the players, their competence and the systems supporting them,” Malambo said.
“Again, I ask: Who is developing the people who work with the players to produce the desired results?”
