Extra Time: Stellenbosch have proved they have the best youth setup and Michael Madyira suggests that other teams should learn from them.
Stellenbosch’s DStv Diski Challenge team won the Premier League Next Generation Cup in England at the weekend.
They beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the final after also defeating the same team 1-0 in earlier rounds and winning against Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.
This win demonstrates the quality of Stellenbosch’s youth development programme.
This is Stellenbosch’s second Next Generation Cup win after triumphing in 2022 and coming second in 2023.
In recent years, Stellenbosch has produced players such as goalkeeper Dejean Ah Shene, Antonio van Wyk, Devin Titus, Roy-Keane Avontuur, Kyle Jurgens, and Liam de Kock, who now play first-team football.
Defender Olwethu Makhanya has joined Major League Soccer side Philadelphia Union, while Jayden Adams played in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with Bafana Bafana.
All these players came from Stellenbosch’s youth development programme and helped the team dominate the DStv Diski Challenge.
Stellenbosch buys low-cost players from other clubs and integrates them with their own young players. This strategy helped them finish third in the PSL last season.
Steve Barker’s team is now heading to play in the CAF Confederation Cup with a mix of young and experienced players.
While Chiefs, Pirates, and Sundowns have produced good young players, Stellenbosch is currently leading in youth development.
The quality of players from Stellenbosch’s youth system is very high, and other big teams can learn from them.
Pictured above: Stellenbosch FC reserve team.
Source: Stellenbosch
