Cape Town City FC have appointed Ian Taylor as the club DStv Diski challenge coach.
Taylor was Eric Tinkler’s assistant for the Citizens first team in 2016.
He replaces Matt Haywood who was the coach in the previous season.
Talking about his appointment, Taylor said he joins The Citizens to provide that missing link which will ensure that the youngsters understand the game when they reach a stage where they will be promoted to the DStv Premiership from Diski.
“If our goal is to develop players for the first team, then it’s important that we do it with the younger age groups,” Taylor said.
“In any academy, there has to be a pathway. It needs to be tangible and I think everything starts with structure, organisation and then implementing the club’s philosophy down to the youth.”
“Technically, we have very gifted players because they come from the townships and they play informal football so there’s a lot of instinctive skills but they lack the understanding of the game and decision making you can see it at PSL level and that to me comes at understanding the game at young age.
“There are good coaches and good learners and that for me is the key because good players know how to learn and good coaches know how to teach.
“When you develop properly you will win but winning is also part of the development so we have to get it right at a young age so when they get to the first team that mentality is already installed in them. To become the top academy in South Africa, ultimately that is where we want to go, It is just a matter of having a vision.”
The Citizens have not been among the best teams in the Diski Challenge, however with Taylor coming in with a wealth of experience having worked with Ajax Amsterdam City would be expected to be among the top teams next season.