“The facilities at the Village are impressive,” remarks Dutch youth coach Jan Gösgens as he walks around Kaizer Chiefs Village.

He’s also mightily impressed with the training facilities for the Amakhosi’s soccer academy. “He who has the youth, has the future.”

Gösgens is the under-18 coach of Feyenoord Rotterdam, which is known to run the best youth development structures in the Netherlands.

The Dutchman is in South Africa to give some clinics in Bloemfontein this week and he didn’t want to miss the opportunity to visit Chiefs’ headquarters.

Gösgens was for a season with the SuperSport Feyenoord Academy in 2005, when SuperSport and Feyenoord were working together. From that coaching period, the Dutchman came to know Amakhosi’s Doctor Khumalo. The two used the opportunity of Gösgens’ presence to have a long conversation.

Feyenoord’s youth coach also met with Chairman Kaizer Motaung as well as, among others, with Chiefs youth coaches Ace Khuse and Arthur Zwane.

“It’s great to see these former Chiefs legends involved in the football academy,” Gösgens says. “To invest in the youth is important. There is enough soccer talent in South Africa. However, it needs to be groomed correctly and for that good coaches and good training facilities are needed.

Frankly, I think that Amakhosi are leading in South Africa with their facilities. Their amenities here are stunning. It’s clear that Chairman Kaizer Motaung is a visionary.”