Cape Town Spurs create link with French Ligue 1 club

Cape Town Spurs have announced a new strategic partnership with the owners French Ligue 1 side Clermont that they hope will eventually smooth the pathway for players into one of Europe’s top five leagues.

Core Sports Capital (CSC) also own topflight side Austria Lustenau and Swiss third-tier side Biel-Bienne, and have an association with the Young Bafana Academy in Cape Town.

“Cape Town Spurs and CSC’s mission is to improve talent identification and development and to prepare players for the reality of European Football,” Spurs said in a statement on Thursday.

🚨CLUB ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨

COLLABORATION!

ROAD TO EUROPE OPENS UP!

For more info visit https://t.co/dcLScHCE6k@YoungBafana @ClermontFoot @AustriaLustenau @fcbielbienne pic.twitter.com/pVvIWpjqHV

— Cape Town Spurs FC (@CapeTownSpursFC) February 29, 2024

“Sharing training methods, facilitating Spurs and the three clubs in Europe for staff visits and exchanging of players is high on the agenda. The spread of clubs in different countries and divisions allow players to fit into a club or league that will best suit them depending on the level required for their personal development on and off the field.”

Spurs CEO Alexi Efstathiou said they are looking forward to sending a first batch of players overseas.

“The added pathways that this will bring to our academy players is invaluable as they can now set their sights on achieving their European dreams with a club that is within their midst,” he said. “No longer should they be thinking of only the PSL. If they work hard enough, live the correct lifestyle and get themselves up to the required physical levels that European football demands, there is no reason that they cannot make it abroad.

“We have talented players in the country, we just need to prepare them better for the demands of international football.”

Ahmet Schaefer, founder and CEO of CSC, is equally excited by their South African project.

“On behalf of Core Sports Capital and its portfolio of clubs, we are delighted to enter this exciting collaboration with Cape Town Spurs which will allow us to strengthen our footprint not only in South Africa, but on the African continent.

“The cooperation is a step in the right direction, and it is only a matter of time before the first player packs his bags and heads for the European big stage,” Schaefer said.

Spurs currently sit at the foot of the DStv Premiership table with two wins in 17 games, six points behind the play-off position and 12 from absolute safety.

Clermont are also bottom of Ligue 1, five points off the playoff position with three wins in 23 games, while Austria Lustenau have a single win in 20 games in the Austrian topflight and sit bottom of the table.