Manchester United Soccer Schools (Muss) in Abu Dhabi has underlined its commitment to the development of local talent by accrediting eleven UAE-based football coaches through its rigorous coaching programme.

The coaches who support the Muss team of Andy Dixon and Craig Taylor come from sporting backgrounds and have proved their commitment to developing young football talent in the UAE.

The 11-member team of local coaches include UAE national Ahmed Hamoud, a former Al Jazira striker and former professional Dutch footballer with AFC Ajax, Khalid Hamdaoui.

Leading the UAE’s first girls-only football programme is local coach Stela Samuela, a physical education teacher with Gems American Academy in Khalifa City who is originally from Romania and has lived in the UAE for eight years.

Dixon, Muss head coach in Abu Dhabi, said: “We have trained these coaches to fully understand how to deliver fantastic soccer programmes the Manchester United way and make a difference in the lives of the children who take part in our programmes.”

“We attract players of all abilities, from many different backgrounds, and with different learning abilities, and we develop our coaches so that they are able to get the best out of every individual they work with,” he said.

Gavin Rhodes, head of coaching for Muss based in Old Trafford who oversees all local coach development in the UK and abroad visited the UAE capital to formally accredit the Abu Dhabi team. 

The MUSS Abu Dhabi coaching team is now teaching more than 350 children signed up to the latest soccer school programme which focuses on the skills and attitude of three Manchester United legends, Ryan Giggs, Nani and Antonio Valencia. 

The new girls-only sessions are now fully booked, Dixon said.

Registration is open for the April 2012 programme, ‘Learn to attack with flair the United way’, which features 12.5 hours of on-field coaching by the certified MUSS coaches. 

The cost of Dh1,650 ($449.28) includes an exclusive Nike Manchester United training kit of shirt, shorts and socks, Muss drawstring bag, water bottle and skills ball as well as catch-up sessions and individual player evaluation.

All players enrolled in the programme will take part in the Muss series of skills challenges with the top two point scorers receiving an all-expenses-paid trip to Manchester to represent Abu Dhabi in the World Skills Final at Manchester United’s Carrington training ground and the Old Trafford stadium.

Abu Dhabi-based developer Reem Investments, which signed a partnership agreement with Muss, built the Dome@Rawdhat to create a vibrant sporting community in the area. More than 12,000 people use the facilities every month. – TradeArabia News Service