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Revisiting T. Dumitru & L.S. Jeevanantham (August 2005). A 2026 Perspective by Mr. Ernst Middendorp The central message of 2005 In their 2005 publication, Understanding the Retardation of Performance in African Football, Dumitru and Jeevanantham identified a fundamental contradiction: Africa produces extraordinary individual football talent but struggles to transform that talent into consistent collective success at the highest international level. The authors argued that Afr

By Mr Ernst Middendorp 33 years on the touchline – what changes in a coach’s mind? How did your understanding of coaching evolved from instruction toward perception, decision-making and responsibility. When I started, I believed that being a good coach meant having solutions, giving instructions and organising the team as precisely as possible. With experience, I have moved more towards observing, understanding and creating the right environment for players to find solutions

Urban Football Academy (UFA) is pleased to announce that applications and registrations for the January 2027 intake will officially open on 1 September 2026. This marks an important milestone in the Academy's development as UFA prepares to welcome its first full intake of players into a structured, high-performance football development environment built around long-term player growth, professional standards, a program, and a clear developmental pathway. The January 2027 intak

Urban Football Academy (UFA) has taken a significant step in the development of its football programme with the appointment of highly experienced German coach Ernst Middendorp as Academy Director. The appointment brings decades of professional football experience to the Academy and supports UFA’s long-term objective of establishing a structured, high-performance development pathway for talented young footballers in the Eastern Cape and beyond. For UFA, the appointment is abou