Lack of youth projects has been cited as one of the factors contributing to the massive failure of member states of the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
Sudan who qualified as the best losers is the only Cecafa team in the Afcon finals to be held early next year in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Cecafa secretary general Nicholas Musonye said recently that most of their member countries did not have youth projects to groom players.
“There is no way you can do well in soccer if you do not have youth projects. West Africans have made it through because of relying on youths,” he said.
He said Cecafa should not be blamed for that because it has been directing its members to focus on youth projects.
Musonye said the regional soccer body has been active in organizing youth competitions but just a few members send their teams.
However, he said that East Africa soccer was growing rapidly compared to previous years.
Cecafa is formed by Tanzania Mainland, Zanzibar, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan.
