Youth Conference set for kick-off

By Luke Williams in Potsdam

25th anniversary 
The three-day event takes place, appropriately, 25 years on from the very first UEFA Youth Conference, which was held in Frankfurt in February 1979.

Comprehensive overview
Representatives from the technical and administrative sectors of UEFA's 52 member associations will be joined at the event by other youth football experts and coaches for a comprehensive overview of youth football and the issues surrounding it.

Official opening
The conference will be officially opened this afternoon at a ceremony attended by UEFA President Lennart Johansson; the German interior minister, Otto Schilly; the president of the German Football Association, Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder; and Jim Boyce, the chairman of the UEFA Youth and Amateur Football Committee.

Conference theme
The theme of the conference is 'What next for European youth football?' and the planned events will combine administrative and technical aspects. Presentations and discussion groups will culminate in UEFA receiving essential information and feedback for its future decisions on youth football.

Fantastic opportunity
"It's a fantastic opportunity for all those involved in youth football in Europe to come together and see where we are going," said UEFA technical director Andy Roxburgh.