Spirit International Football Academy (SIFA) welcomes renowned football mentor, Ian Taylor as its new head of talent development.

A well-known coach in the Cape Town football circles, Taylor has decades of experience as a player and a coach. SIFA is committed to recruiting the best coaches to nurture young talent and build a lasting legacy in football development.

Taylor comments, “My overall objective and goal with SIFA is to build a football academy that produces great people who have hope and a future and is sustainable for the next 30 years and beyond.”

SIFA is the brainchild of the Spirit Foundation. Founder and Chairman of the Spirit Foundation, Ian Kilbride, comments:

“We are delighted that Ian Taylor has joined SIFA and his appointment comes with great expectations. We are confident Ian and all other coaches will nurture and provide quality training to our young footballing talent in Cape Town”.

Kilbride notes,

“SIFA’s focus brings together two vitally fundamental pillars of the Spirit Foundation, education and providing a platform for opportunities to grow through a solid community of educators. So, recruiting some of the best-in-class coaches will help SIFA achieve these goals. All our coaches have a successful track-record of working with young players some of whom have gone on to sign professional contracts with top clubs, in South Africa and Europe.”

As part of the collaboration SIFA will collaborate with the Cape Academy of Maths, Science, and Technology (CAMST) in Constantia, Cape Town, and the initiative will be based at these facilities.

Taylor grew up in Wetton, where his love for football started after his father introduced him to the sport at Ottery Furness FC. From the age of four, his passion for the game was evident.

“Whether in the park, the street, or the club, I just loved the fact that I could be whoever I wanted to be with the ball at my feet,” Taylor said. “This early enthusiasm evolved into a professional playing career, where I learned some invaluable lessons about the highs and lows of the sport.”

Taylor’s journey into coaching began unexpectedly, thanks to his first mentor, John Rowley, who saw potential in him. Taylor recalls, “I wasn’t doing much with life; just a 9-to-5 job and playing semi-pro football. Mr. Rowley invited me to assist as a coach for the U11 side at Old Mutual Academy, I loved it, and the rest as they say, is history.”

Taylor spent some considerable time at both Ajax clubs – Cape Town and Amsterdam. His dedication to unearthing and working with young talent is evident when reflecting on his achievements. Taylor has guided many players who have gone on to do exceptionally well in Europe and the Premier Soccer League (PSL). Cape Town is more than just home, and Taylor believes that it is the very heart of South African football potential.

“Coaching at Ajax Cape Town made me who I am today as a coach and gave me a wonderful opportunity to grow and learn. The talent I had the privilege of coaching and working with great coaches I learned from both in the club and at Amsterdam. It was the best football club in the country for many years.

“My coaching style is very much a player-centred approach, asking the correct questions, building a culture of performance for both individual and team, and becoming a role model.

“The philosophy I use is to develop creative players within a style of play which is dominant, attacking and fearless, focusing on three key areas: developing technical qualities, developing an understanding of the game by focusing on developing clear playing principles, and identifying players’ individual skills.”

With a holistic approach focusing on players, coaches, and community development, Taylor believes SIFA has the resources, talent, and values to impact football for generations to come.

“Good vision, good coaches, good talent, and good facilities; this is our chance to improve local football and allow players to flourish. Cape Town has the best diverse talent in the world, we need to help develop, nurture, and provide the platform for these players to showcase the quality of talent that exists in Cape Town footballers.”