Soccer-Lure of riches feeds Senegal's football fever ( 2003-07-14 10:55) (Reuters)
Football fever is gripping the West African state of Senegal, fanned by the
sporting prowess of the national side and the lure of fabulous wealth for the
successful few who make it.
Unlike education or business, football offers a fast-track route out of
grinding poverty and entry into the elite club of Africa's mega-rich.
A host of stars led by Patrick Vieira, the Senegal-born captain of English
premier league side Arsenal, have now teamed up with a project to create
Africa's first professional football academy.
The founders say the academy will help the continent win its first World Cup
within a decade.
"There's such enthusiasm for football in this country that we cannot be
satisfied with occasional performances, like when Cameroon made England tremble
in 1990 (in the quarter-finals) or Senegal during the 2002 World Cup," said
Senegalese businessman Saer Seck.
"Football today has become a means to success and social advancement," said
Seck, one of the prime movers behind the $3 million Diambars Institute football
academy which opens its doors in October.
"It represents an incredible hope, not just for the player, but for the
family, his district or village," he said.
The Senegal game received a huge boost last year when the national side burst
on the world stage during the World Cup soccer finals in Japan and South Korea.
The "Lions" defeated reigning world champions France in the tournament's
opening game and reached the quarter-finals before losing to Turkey.
"It was brilliant, just fantastic. Beating France is no mean achievement
because everyone said they were the best team. It gave a whole generation the
desire to play," said Cheikh Daffe, who plays for one of Senegal's top clubs,
Diaraf Dakar.
SOCIAL ADVANCEMENT
Midfielder Daffe, who transfers to the Swiss side Neuchatel Xamax later this
year, is following a well-worn path to European leagues already taken by African
Footballer of the Year El Hadji Diouf and his national team mate Salif Diao.
The striker and stylish midfielder were snapped up by English club side
Liverpool shortly before their World Cup heroics. Virtually the entire national
side plays in Europe.
"Sport in general has become a social elevator," said Dakar-based political
analyst Babacar Justin Ndiaye.
"If you go to the British Embassy you'll get a visa straight away, because
you're not just anybody. But if you want to go there to trade, you won't get it.
So football has several assets" The success of the Diouf generation has helped
change attitudes. Parents who a decade ago firmly believed academic honours
alone would guarantee financial security have become eager converts to the
unrivalled earning power of sport.
"And then there's the economic crisis," said Diaraf club doctor Babacar Ngom.
"(Footballers) have seen their elder brothers with their diplomas fail to find
work, so there was no reason to prevent them playing football."
First team players at Diaraf, before bonuses, take home around
150,000-250,000 CFA a month ($260-$430), the income of a senior civil servant or
leading hospital doctor, said Ngom.
Players like Diouf can take home anywhere between 20,000 pounds ($32,620) and
50,000 pounds ($81,550) a week, untold wealth compared to Senegal's per capita
gross domestic product -- a yardstick of a country's wealth -- of $1,580 a year
in 2001.
BOOM OR BUST?
The Diambars Institute promises all of West Africa the infrastructure it
needs to cultivate the big names of tomorrow and ensure last year's breakthrough
by Senegal is not a one-off.
"Our youngsters will join their national sides at a very early age, so the
level of African football will improve and an African country will at last win
the World Cup," said Seck.
He reckons Senegal could get to the final in Germany in 2006 and that
Diambars graduates could help clinch the crown for Africa within 10 years.
But some senior coaches on the continent warn the institute could also pose a
threat to the club game.
German-trained Diaraf coach Lamine Dieng says clubs like his survive on the
fees they earn when they sell their best players to European clubs, funds they
could miss out on if Diambars creams off all the best players.
"We've sold four players this year so the club won't have any financial
problems for two years or so," he said.
"But there's a danger -- if clubs don't get organised and have decent
facilities, all the youngsters will go to centres (like Diambars)," he said.
