Afri Academy Scouts for Football Talents
By Ibrahim Bugalo
The Afri Talent Academy 2024 has concluded a one day scouting in the western area on Friday 21st November 2025 at the football academy Kingtom.
In an exclusive interview with one of the scouts Patrick Elsmore Dodworth, he said their mission in Sierra Leone is to travel across the country and identify talented boys between the age brackets of 13 to 20 years that have the potential to develop into professional footballers.
Patrick is part of an international team working with Afri Talent Academy to scout for promising players from different districts. He said their intention is to discover young talents, monitor their growth, and help connect them to European clubs where they can receive proper training in a professional environment. According to him, Sierra Leone has an abundance of natural football talent, but very few get the opportunity to develop within structured systems.
Head of Sirras International Academy (SIA) Morlai Kamara, who also works in collaboration with Afri Talent Academy intimated that the academy is based in Europe and was founded by himself and former Sierra Leone national team captain Steven Caulker. Kamara, continued that the idea of the academy came from their observations whenever they came to represent Sierra Leone—either as a player or as a scout. They noticed that although the national team had talented young players, most of the home-based players lacked access to professional training and a structured environment that could help them grow.
Morlai emphasized that scouting works with profiles and specific characteristics. Many European clubs describe exactly the type of player they want, and even if a player scores a goal or performs well on the day, that does not automatically mean they fit the club’s professional profile. He explained that scouting involves careful analysis, evaluating strengths and weaknesses, and identifying long-term potential.
He further disclosed that their team had already conducted two-days scouting showcases in Kono, Makeni, and Bo. Kono had the highest turnout with over 600 players aged 13 to 20, Makeni recorded about half of that number, and Bo also produced a strong turnout driven by the passion of the young players in the region. Despite the crowd sizes, their focus remained on identifying players who truly showed readiness for professional development.
After the upcoming showcase in Freetown, the team will sit together to review, analyze, and evaluate every player. They will examine videos, profiles, physical performances, and technical attributes before deciding who is ready and who needs more time.
He stated that those who are not fully ready will not be left behind. Instead, they will be placed on an Individual Development (ID) Plan. This plan will assign them personal coaches and provide training methods designed to help speed up their progress. Those who are ready will be given opportunities in Europe.
Morlai further explained that they have two main identification pathways.
Patrick is a shareholder in a club in Portugal and is specifically searching for young talents between ages 13 and 16. Michael, who is the Head Scout in Helsinki, Finland, works in partnership with clubs in Estonia, creating another pathway for players who are physically and mentally ready to play senior team football.
He added that even if only three or a few players meet the criteria, they will be placed in the environments where they best fit. The important thing is quality—not quantity—as the academy wants to build a clear, sustainable pathway for Sierra Leonean players.
Morlai also stressed that discipline, attitude, and willingness to learn are as important as talent. Many players lose opportunities because of bad discipline or failure to follow instructions. He encouraged young footballers to stay focused, remain humble, and take every opportunity seriously.
He concluded by appealing to parents, coaches and community leaders to support these young players. The academy plans to continue this project annually as part of their long – term mission to develop Sierra Leonean football talents and create new opportunities for young players across the country.
