At the start of the season, the incoming SJFC leadership delivered one clear message… This club – and this community – were more than good enough to ‘win now’ at all levels. 💪
From humble roots, SJFC had developed into the envy of many grassroots football organisations, with hundreds of children of all ages playing and competing weekly. But results didn’t always match the efforts that both the boys and coaches were putting in. This season, it was announced, was the start of a change in philosophy. The community aspect of the club would remain vital ❤️, in that every player deserves an equal chance. But with a major talent pool from across North-West London, coaches were expected to start translating training sessions into results.
There was an influx of young coaching talent across tiers – many of whom had represented SJFC in their own youth – as each age group now had a FA-qualified manager and a younger assistant responsible for stepping in when needed. With regular training and development for these young coaches – including tailored sessions with Chelsea Academy Coach Deniz Ombesh and the experienced Sam Sawhney – everyone was given the chance to step up their craft and impose their own style on their tier as they learned to deliver effective but entertaining sessions.
These coaches, who came through a similar pathway to their players in the SJ system, would end up becoming role models in the eyes of many of the boys. And the new structure clearly worked wonders. Players kept returning to the new training pitches at Bannister Outdoor Sports Centre week after week, with an average of 165 attending across all age groups 📈.
After a few weeks of settling in, the club laid down a marker at the annual MAMT in October. Four age groups 🏆- the U5/6, U11/12, U13/14 and U17/18 – took home silverware from Milton Keynes, with runners up medals for two other tiers.
Later on in the season, SJFC would dominate the latter stages of the Salaam Cup, with the U9, U12, U13/14 and teams winning their respective age groups 🏆.
Competing outside of the Khoja community and holding our own in the Chiltern Church League was set to be a sterner test. But it was a task that many passed with flying colours. Both the U12 and U13/14 teams finished second 🥈 in their leagues after a string of dominant, fluid performances that reflected brilliantly on their coaches. Meanwhile, the U10s won the shield competition after some battling displays🛡️.
In the younger age groups – where results do not affect the league table as the FA deems matches to be for development rather than competitive – SJFC saw some major wins against formidable outfits from across Buckinghamshire.
In recent weeks, the U14 side has stormed their way through the South Asian Champions League, reaching the final after a 1-0 win on Saturday ⚽.
And while the teams came a long way during the campaign, there was still scope for talented individuals to be recognised. Scouts from Chelsea, Brentford and Arsenal attended the Salaam Cup have shown interest in a handful of our youth players.
Overall, it was a stellar set of results for the first season with new management – both in terms of development and competitiveness – across the board for SJFC.
With players and coaches only improving and honing their craft, the future is bright for the club 🔥
Written by Kumail Jaffer
