CONCACAF, in collaboration with the United States Soccer Federation, hosted an inaugural team manager workshop in Los Angeles from 18-20 January. A total of 68 team managers representing 34 CONCACAF associations attended the three-day workshop to obtain an overview of the team manager’s role as well as to learn how to raise the quality of team administration within their own associations. The workshop was also designed to further develop team managers throughout the confederation in preparation for events such as the CONCACAF qualifiers for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and the Olympic Football Tournaments, as well as for the U-20 and U-17 regional qualifying tournaments for both women and men.
CONCACAF recently announced the dates for the 2008 CONCACAF Futsal Championship that will take place at the Domo Polideportivo in Guatemala City between 2 and 8 June. It will be the first CONCACAF tournament in Guatemala since 1996, although the Domo also hosted a total of 80,740 spectators on the 12 matchdays of the 2000 FIFA Futsal World Championship, which was won by Spain. Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA and two more Caribbean teams (from the preliminary qualification in Guyana, 5-9 March) will join the Guatemalan hosts in this year’s CONCACAF tournament that will see three countries qualify for the FIFA Futsal World Cup Brazil 2008.
CONCACAF President Jack Austin Warner recently launched a Caribbean youth development programme called Digicel Kick Start Clinics, with the first of seven stops held in Guyana from 7 to 9 January. The Digicel Clinics, conducted by former England international John Barnes, offered talented Caribbean Under-20 players the chance to learn invaluable skills, while at the same time being afforded the chance to realise their dream of becoming professional footballers. The Digicel Clinics also took place in Haiti from 11 to 14 January before going on to Barbados (16-19 January), St. Kitts and Nevis (21-24 January), Antigua and Barbuda (26-29 January), Suriname (31 January-3 February), Trinidad and Tobago (8-11 February) and finally Jamaica (13-16 February).

Frederic Kanoute has been named African Footballer of the Year 2007. The striker, who becomes the second player from Mali after the legendary Salif Keita to receive the topmost individual prize in African football beat last year’s winner Didier Drogba of Cote d’lvoire and Ghana’s Michael Essien to the title. At the ceremony at the Palais des Congres in Lome, Togo on 1 February, an overwhelmed Kanoute dressed all in white walked up to the stage to receive his award from Togo Prime Minister Komlan Mally, who was assisted by CAF President Issa Hayatou. The other award winners were Clifford Mulenga from Zambia (Young Player of the Year), Cynthia Uwak of Nigeria (Female Footballer of the Year), Armine Chermiti from Tunisia (Inter-Club Player of the Year), the late Yemi Telia of Nigeria (Coach of the Year), Etoile du Sahel from Tunisia (Club of the Year), Cote d’lvoire (National Team of the Year) and Ghana Supporters Club (Best Supporters Club).
The 30th CAF General Assembly was held at the International Conference Centre in Accra, Ghana on 17 and 18 January. The first day of the General Assembly was devoted to honouring past football administrators who had contributed immensely to the development of the game in Africa. Saidi El Maamry, Abdel Majid Chetali, the late Camara N’Famara and Lakhdar Belloumi were honoured by CAF for their contribution towards the current state of football on the continent. El Maamry, the former President of the Tanzania Football Federation, N’Famara, the former President of the Guinea football federation and Chetali from Tunisia were presented with the CAF Gold Order of Merit while Belloumi, a member of the national team of Algeria in the 1980s, was awarded the CAF Silver Order of Merit. FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter was the special guest of honour at the event.

AFC
The draws for the 2008 AFC Champions League and AFC Cup were recently held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In the Champions League, 2007 runners-up Sepahan of Iran were drawn alongside tournament debutants Kuruvchi of Uzbekistan, two-time champions Al-lttihad of Saudi Arabia and Al-lttihad of Syria. The AFC Cup groupings saw defending champions Shabab Al-Ordon of Jordan pitted against Al-Nahda (Oman), Al-Sha’ab Hadramaut (Yemen) and Al-Najma (Bahrain). The fifth edition of the AFC Champions League kicks off on 12 March and the group stage concludes on 21 May. The home-and-away quarter-finals are slated for 17 and 24 September while the semi-finals will be held on 8 and 22 October with the two-legged final scheduled for 5 and 12 November. Defending champions Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan will join the fray in the quarter-finals. The AFC Cup group stage, which is set for a 11 March kick-off, concludes on 14 May ahead of the knockout stage, which begins on 16 September, and the two-legged final on 31 October and 2 November.
Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, President of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), and Alberto Colaco, AIFF General Secretary, recently visited AFC HOUSE in Kuala Lumpur for strategic planning meetings with AFC officials,. AFC President Mohamed bin Hammam underlined the huge importance of the Indian continent as a key focus for the AFC and its crucial rule in the development of football in Asia. Discussions focused on Vision Asia and the Vision India project and on how other stakeholders from outside Asia involved in Indian football development could contribute towards the future success of football in the world’s second most populous country. The AIFF announced that dedicated human resources would be appointed to Vision India to drive the project forward. India has also submitted a bid to host the AFC Challenge Cup competitions in 2008 and 2010. The professionalisation of Indian club football was also discussed as part of the AFC Professional Leagues project. India is taking proactive steps towards the improvement of club football with the redevelopment of the national league already underway, leading to a final re-launch in March 2009.