GIFT 2014: Important to have such an event on a regular basis - Mike Steptoe

Mike Steptoe, director of the African Soccer Development School (ASD) Cape Town, was one of the keynote speakers of GIFT 2014 at the weekend.

Speaking about the importance of the event, Steptoe told Sportskeeda, “I think it is extremely important and essential that this kind of event happens on a regular basis. India is a huge country and the football people should all be on the same wavelength if the Indian game is to progress. There needs to be a national football philosophy embraced by all stakeholders.”

The topic for Steptoe was “Talent Scouting – Spotting the right one!” and talking further about it, he said, “It depends greatly on the age of the talent identified to access potential. In 12 to 15 year olds we look for quick feet, quickness over the first 10 meters, good touch, vision, awareness and above all character. World class talent is the result of thousands of hours of deep practice, motivation and high quality coaching.”

Everyone at ASD Cape Town has helped one of their best scholars, Brandon Fernandes, to take his game to another level and Steptoe explained how important it is to not put youngsters under the pressure of getting results while they are developing.

“The biggest mistake that can be made is putting pressure on youngsters to get results at the expense of development. They should be allowed to express themselves in a controlled environment whereby the emphasis is totally on development and the quality of their play. Results will ultimately follow.