Tokuaki Suzuki
AFC Competitions Director Tokuaki Suzuki has identified strong grassroots and youth programme structure to be one of the strengths of Qatar football that can be developed further as a foundation for professional football.
Speaking on the last day of an inspection visit by an AFC professional football taskforce in Qatar on Monday, Suzuki who is also AFC Professional Football Development Director said:
“We were impressed by the progresses which have been made under the strong leadership of Qatar FA (QFA) and Qatar Stars League (QSL) since the last AFC Special Mission Team’s (SMT) inspection,” Suzuki was quoted as saying by the AFC official website.
“Especially, the complete team of youth development in each club will become a foundation where Qatar football can develop talented players as well as local coaches.”
Qatari clubs seek to participate in the next edition of the continent’s top-tier club competition the AFC Champions League and the SMT’s visit aims to help the clubs fulfil the ACL participation criteria and achieve this goal.
The SMT at the end of its inspection visit met with the QFA, QSL, clubs and the press to share its findings. QSL Vice President Mohammed Yaser al-Mosallam, representative of QFA Ali al-Naemi and QSL’s Chairman of AFC Committee Hani Ballan attended the meetings.
During the meetings, Suzuki pointed out that the SMT’s inspection also discovered good club facilities, composition of coaches and supporting staff (in each age group), strong media coverage and TV broadcasting and strong government support among the strengths in Qatar.
However, Suzuki pointed out the low turn out of crowds as the main area of concern.
He advised QSL and clubs to improve on winning over fans, clubs’ capability to generate their own earnings and reduce their reliance on the local organising committee.
Meanwhile, Ballan thanked the AFC for creating the professional football development project and helping Qatar by monitoring all its progresses with professional advice.
He said: “I believe that the AFC team knows how much we are serious about and committed to this project to improve our professional football in Qatar.
“We seek excellence in all aspects to reach our goal and we believe in this SMT project since we have observed how fruitful it has been to us.
“I am sure that you will be a part of the best moment in Qatar football and I need to say that we still have room for improvement.”