Lma Supports Sa Football Initiative

With the support of the League Managers Association’s Community Fund, experienced managers Phil Brown and Dave Penney are to travel to South Africa to conduct a coaching course on behalf of the football charity, Coaching for Hope.

Brown, who guided Hull City into the Premier League for the first time in 2008, and former Doncaster boss Penney, will oversee a group of community coaches who are currently working with the LMA’s adopted charity.

Jane Carter, director of Coaching for Hope, said: ‘The kind of challenge that awaits Phil and Dave in South Africa is of a very different nature. The coaches from teams like Bread of Life, ABC for Life and Mighty Superstars confront gang violence, drug dealers and grinding poverty in the poor townships of Cape Town and are inspired to use football as a way of combating this. By giving these dedicated volunteers personal mentoring, new skills, new ideas and fresh confidence in their ability as coaches.’

Carter thanked the LMA for their support, saying: ‘The fact that such experienced coaches have volunteered to do this is deeply affirming to the organisations we work with whose passion for football can match anything we have to offer.’

Richard Bevan, CEO of the LMA said: ‘We are delighted to be able to support our members to volunteer their services to work with a charity like Coaching for Hope.  It demonstrates the power that football has to make a difference.’