Football administrators from regions across the country have benefitted
from a five-day training course which was part of the Somali Football
Federation’s ‘spread the football’ program.

Somali National League site [Gaadiidka FC] sponsored a colorful closing
ceremony for the training course which was held at SYL hotel in the
capital Mogadishu on Saturday 2nd of January.

Somali Football federation secretary general, Hassan Mohamed Mohamud, who first addressed at the closing gathering, said that the course was
intended to help boost the football administration knowledge and
experience of the regional soccer office bearers.

“SFF is prioritizing to enhance the knowledge of regional administrators
because an educated manager can have the power to develop their people and
that is why we are giving the first priority to building up education” SFF
secretary general Hassan Mohamed Mohamud told the closing ceremony.

He said that the training course attracted a total of 21 football administrators from semiautonomous regional states of Somalia’s federal government.

End to the high level administration course, regional football officials
have now the confidence and the knowledge to develop football in their
respected regions with the help from Somali Football Federation.

After thanking the two instructors at the training course, Mrs. Zuhur
Hashi Mohamed from the [Puntland State] sub-regional football committee
said that attending such a course was a ‘double advantage’ for her.

“I benefitted much knowledge from this course. I also learned new friends
and toured different sites” said Mrs. Zuhur.

“We are only three women in this course, but I hope that Somali Football Federation will have produced
a greater number of female football administrators in the country” she
added.

On her side, Ayaan Abdirahman Ibrahim from [South West Somalia
semiautonomous state] said that she now knows how to manage football and
was hopeful to practice what she learned when she is back to her region to
help the promotion of football in the south western regions in the
country.

“Knowledge is a key base for football development. At the end of this
course, I feel I am completely different—this means I have learned more”
she mentioned.

SFF senior vice president Ali Abdi Mohamed added that it was his
federation’s policy to extend football knowledge throughout the country to
help regional office bearers be able to play a key role in the country’s
football promotion.

“As shown in our strategy, we plan to inaugurate the regional football
leagues in 2016.

Every regional state will have its own football league to
be organized annually” the senior vice president told the closing
ceremony.

Director General of the transportation ministry, Ali Ga’al whose ministry
owns the Gaadiidka FC which sponsored the closing ceremony praised Somali
Football Federation authorities for their continuous efforts to promote
football in the country.

“I am very pleased that Gaadiidka FC one of the oldest clubs in Somalia
has had the opportunity to sponsor this ceremony.

We are also happy to meet with these young and active faces who came here to increase their football-related knowledge—we are always on your side in all your
endeavors towards football development” said Mr. Ga’al whose Gaadiidka FC is one of the founding members of Somali Football Federation.

Somali Football Federation president, Abdiqani Said Arab, said his
federation was very grateful to sports ministers of the regional semiautonomous states of the federal government of Somalia.

He said without their cooperation such a course wouldn’t have been successful.

The president thanked the two instructors who conducted the course:
Mohamed Ahmed Tarabi and Ali Mohamed Ahmed for trying their best to teach the regional football office bearers how it sounds to be successful
football administrators.

He encouraged the trainees to work hard regarding to football promotion
after they are back to their regions. “We are hopeful you will practice
what you have been taught” the president told the trainees during his
address at the closing ceremony.

“Apart from the regional leagues, our 2016 plans include the organization
of coaching and refereeing courses for all regions.

And on your side we want you to play an important role so that we together
can reach the level we are targeting” president Abdiqani Said Arab told
the course participants before handing over the microphone to Somali
National Olympic committee president Abdullahi Ahmed Tarabi.

The president said that the NOCSOM was jubilant at the successive
activities by the Somali Football Federation, adding that the continued
football development initiatives were helping public integration and
progress in the country.

“Other sporting federations should follow Somali Football Federation’s
footsteps” Somali National Olympic committee president Abdullahi Ahmed
Tarabi noted before announcing the closure of the course.

Collins Okinyo

Ex- CAF Media Expert. An expert on African football with over 15 years experience ,always with an ear to the ground with indepth knowledge of the game. I have worked for top publications including 7 years at www.supersport.com until i founded www.soka25east.com to quench the thirst of football lovers across the continent. I have trained young upcoming journalists who are now a voice in African football.I have covered World Cup,AFCON,CHAN,Champions League,Confederations Cup,Cecafa,Cosafa,Wafu and many other football tournaments across the World. Founder Football Africa Arena(FAA),Founder www.afrisportdigital.com