Fred de Jong considers the contribution amount fair. Photo / Richard Robinson
Fred de Jong considers the contribution amount fair. Photo / Richard Robinson
Opinion
Under-17s should not have to pay to attend World Cup
As every parent of a promising child knows, talent can be expensive. The better a youngster becomes at a cultural or sporting pursuit, the more somebody will need to pay for advanced coaching, better equipment and travel to regional, national and, for those good enough, international competitions.
But it comesas a surprise, nevertheless, that New Zealand Football is asking its Under-17 representatives to contribute $2,000 each towards the cost of sending the team to the United Arab Emirates for the age-group's World Cup.
The contribution will come from parents, one of whom, Fred de Jong, is NZF's high performance director, and he considers it fair "when you look at what they get in terms of top-class coaching and overseas experience." If any of the selected players face hardship they will be helped, he says. "We are not going to say only rich kids can play for New Zealand."
Another former player, Sam Malcolmson, wonders what has happened to the $14.2 million the game received from the 2010 World Cup. The $5.6 million paid to the players ought to have left a tidy fund for investment in development teams.
Yet the Under-17s are not alone in having to pay for the privilege of representing their country. Mr de Jong says all age-group teams are asked to contribute to their costs.
Soccer should do something about this. When young players wear the national colours, they should not be charged for the honour. It does not diminish their achievement but they deserve better.
