Ukraine based scout Anatolii Volkov has praised the CECAFA U-17 and U-20 tournaments after attending both competitions in East Africa.
Volkov travelled to Tanzania for the U-20 qualifiers and Rwanda for the U-17 championship in his role as technical director at FC Polissya.
He achieved his scouting objectives at the U-20 tournament where he identified five to six priority players for his club.
Negotiations are currently underway with those players while another seven to eight remain under observation.
Volkov was less impressed by the U-17 tournament in Rwanda which he said fell short of expectations.
The overall level was not particularly high and tactical chaos made player assessment difficult.
Uganda stood out as the main exception regarding physical maturity among the 15 to 16 year olds.
Most of the few players worth following came from only Uganda and Tanzania national teams.
Volkov noted a strong emphasis on results led some teams to simplify their game too much.
Defensive organisation of Burundi U-17 was a particular disappointment for the Ukrainian scout.
Local youth coaches should prioritise decision making speed and off the ball movement in daily training.
The scout believes East Africa envisages great talents despite current developmental gaps.
Key scouting outcomes
- U-20 tournament: 5-6 players identified for FC Polissya negotiations
- U-20 tournament: 7-8 additional players under continued observation
- U-17 tournament: Few players worth following mainly from Uganda and Tanzania
- Uganda U-17: Main exception for physical maturity at age 15-16
- Age groups assessed: U-17 (15-16 years) and U-20 (15-19 years)
Source: Kawowo Sports
