LONDON: Top England football club Arsenal announced this week it was opening more Arsenal Football Schools across the Middle East and North Africa. The North London club already has four successful schools in Dubai, Oman, Egypt and Bahrain, but is looking to expand to find new talent. The Bahrain school runs in association with International Business Group (IBG) who will partner Arsenal in the further expansion in MENA. “The partnership is set to see the opening of at least six new schools in countries across the region by the end of 2011 with more following over the next five years,” a statement from the club said. The most recent school, one in Casablanca, Morocco, opened in June 2010 by Arsenal's Moroccan international Marouane Chamakh. According to the club, “Arsenal Soccer Schools will provide professional football coaching to children of all nationalities, abilities and boys and girls living in the region, teaching youngsters to ‘Play the Arsenal Way', and will be providing some free places to less advantaged children within each community.” The schools will provide training based on manager Arsene Wenger's teaching practices who has been at the London club for the past 14 years. “The schools will build on the passion that the regions already have for football and create a sporting environment that fosters teamwork, self development, and empowerment whilst developing confidence as an individual and young athlete,” the statement continued. “All around the world children dream of emulating their heroes. That is very true in the football crazy countries of the Middle East and North Africa,” said IBG's chairman Abdul Wahed Al Kooheji, who is helping to implement the strategy across the region. “Following the success of the school in Bahrain and the positive reaction from players, parents and the Bahraini Football Association, we believe that by setting up these schools will give the children in the regions an opportunity to achieve their goals as well as benefiting from a healthier lifestyle and teamwork skills.” Arsenal Soccer Schools have been operating since 1985 and have become one of the world's largest football programs, with a global presence across 21 countries. The MENA territories, in addition to Bahrain and Morocco include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Algeria, Tunisia, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Libya, Iran, Iraq and Yemen. BM
