It's about the players, stupid. The joy and magic of football arrives when you have children playing regardless of the field. At a recent event in Hout Bay (Cape Town) the kids were playing on a surface that was more like beach football but dreams were made.
This is not Ireland but Gauteng, South Africa. An emerald green football field but no players? There are many great fields like this but no one is playing. Our challenge is to bring back the magic!
As a child growing up in Johannesburg we used to have football games at the "field". When we said meet you at the "field" everybody understood. On a recent trip I took a photograph of the "field" and the "goals" which were the electricity power station. At that time there were no trees. Many happy hours of "three and in" and the rest were enjoyed by all the young boys in the 'hood. So boys need fields not necessarily stadiums to experience the magic of the beautiful game!
Our two new football fields in Gopane Village have been completed and were played on by the schools in their first week. A number of locals return to the village for the festive season break and a tournament has already been planned for before Christmas.
It's about the players, stupid.
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