The visiting FIFA president Joseph Blatter urged on Saturday that African countries should have and improve their own professional leagues, so as to maintain young players in their own countries.

Addressing media in Gaborone on Saturday, Blatter has cautioned young Africans against seeking football career opportunities internationally as the international arena is saturated with exceptional competitive football talent.

"I can tell you that in my country in Switzerland we have a lot of African players who couldn't perform well or were not good enough in England, they couldn't do it France, or in Belgium and then they came to Switzerland. When in Switzerland they are rated good enough but they don't make much money," said Blatter.

He explained that there are thousands of young Africans who try to go to Europe and Asia but it's difficult for them to penetrate the football market as a club cannot field more than eleven players.

Besides trying to relocate on a personal level, Blatter said there so many agents in the world who try attract so many players but the players never play because they are not even accepted anywhere so they end up settling for second division matches or second division teams in other countries.

"The most important thing is that we have professional leagues to maintain the young players here. At least each player should acquire the first professional contract in their home country so that there future is assured," advised Blatter.

He added that when young football players aged 18 or 19 go to some foreign country they are faced with at least two problems: one being that they are not educated and the other being that they are not competitive enough. He said whether the coach likes them or not also can be a positive or negative factor.

Blatter said governments should play an important role in supporting for football.

"We agree fully that the government shall help the development of football because finally sport and football is part of the society. It's not only kicking the ball or running, it is a school of life, and it is part of the social culture, part of economy."

Blatter is on a two day visit in Botswana starting on Friday. His visit is the second of its nature, the first having been in 2002. From Botswana Blatter is scheduled for South Africa where he will watch the Africa Cup of Nations 2013 finals. Endi

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