City Football Schools boost training opportunities with extended

City Football Schools is to expand the number of coaching sessions it provides in the upcoming 2017/18 season as the Abu Dhabi-based coaching academy, which is run by City Football Group, is set to extend the season starting on September 10th from four terms to five, giving an extra 200 hours of coaching.

The longer season provides even more opportunities for boys and girls to improve their skills with the biggest academy of its kind in the Middle East.

Lewis Childs, Football Delivery Manager, said, "We’re really excited about the fifth term we’re adding in the upcoming season. With a longer season and new coaching practices developed in our academy in Manchester, we’re confident we can achieve the best out of our players."

In addition to extending the 2017/18 season, City Football Schools will enter its teams into a greater number of local and international tournaments in a bid to provide young footballers with more exposure to competitive matches. These include the second edition of the Manchester City Abu Dhabi Cup, which featured more than 60 teams from the GCC when it was held at Zayed Sports City earlier this year.

Childs confirmed that girls’ teams in particular will be given more opportunities to play in competitive fixtures, adding that the players have been inspired by the achievements of the Manchester City Women’s team last season.

"The achievements of the Manchester City Women’s team has had a huge effect on our girls’ team, they have shown a clear change in their drive and determination," he said. "Our girls' teams have previously met the women's team right here in Abu Dhabi and we can see that the women's team really inspired our girls to achieve their goals."

The 2017/18 season will feature another opportunity for the City Football Schools select squads where some of them will get the opportunity to travel to Manchester to train with Manchester City Academy and watch the first team in action. The experience gives young players based in the UAE the chance to test themselves in matches with Manchester City select teams under the watchful eye of the coaches.

City Football Schools is approaching its seventh season since being founded in 2011 and has expanded its coaching team to include 12 professional coaches, all from the UK, with sessions built upon the philosophy and training program of the Manchester City Academy. City Football Schools are based across three venues in Abu Dhabi: Emirates Palace, Zayed Sports City and New York University Saadiyat Campus, and sessions are open for children aged 3 - 18 years old. Currently, over 1,000 children each season take part in training sessions with City Football Schools.