Probably one of the biggest things to happen in youth football here in Mallorca for a very long time was announced last week — and I was lucky enough to be there. Many of you on the island will know Rob Croll and his very successful Russell Martin Academy, which is named after his foster brother — the former footballer, Southampton Manager, and now the Rangers Head Coach. What you might not know is that Rob also runs the football club Sporting Son Ferrer and Mallorca Pro Training. So, he’s a busy man. But before I tell you more about the announcement, let’s find out a little more about Rob.
Born and raised in Brighton, where he went to school and college, Rob realised at that time that he wasn’t going to make it as a professional footballer. He went on to study sports and marketing at university in Southampton. He did some coaching in the UK and the USA and then spoke to his foster brother, Russ, about starting his own academy. The Russell Martin Academy was already an established brand in the UK, and Rob thought it would be a good idea to bring it to Mallorca, where he’d put down roots since moving in 2011.
In the winter of 2018, he began the Academy. He admits the first three months were difficult and that he wondered if it was all worth it. But after offering free football coaching sessions for local schools, things started to kick off (excuse the pun!). He began to be the go-to academy for non-federated kids to learn the technical side of football.
The pandemic was a crushing blow to most small businesses, and Rob was unfortunately no exception. But he managed to build it back up. Being a non-federated player means you don’t play as a team, as you’re not permitted to — but as the academy grew, the need for a team became greater. Around that time, he was playing for a team called Sporting Son Ferrer and was offered the chance to take it over. This gave him the ability to start building teams and retain players who would previously have left to play competitive football elsewhere.
They went from one to two teams in the first and second seasons and gradually grew. Last season, they had six teams — and the hope is that next season this will become ten. Now, back to the big announcement. I was invited to the Sporting Son Ferrer trophy presentation night at Oceans Beach Club. My eldest son, Jacob, has been coaching there for a year, and I’ve also been doing some work with Rob through Mallorca Pro Training. It was announced that Sporting Son Ferrer had signed a partnership deal with the German side Borussia Dortmund! From now on, it will be known as Club de Fútbol Borussia Dortmund International Academy Mallorca.
This is something Rob had been working on for months, and after visiting all their facilities in Germany, a deal was agreed. It is an unbelievable opportunity for Rob — but I also believe it’s a great coup for Calvia and the island of Mallorca to be linked with such a prestigious club.
Borussia Dortmund has partnered with youth programmes and established academies in 16 countries, including Germany, Japan, Poland, and the USA. In the US alone, they have multiple locations, including Florida, Texas, Washington, Arizona, and Louisiana. They also have five academies in China. Dortmund sent over two representatives for the presentation. One was Roman Weidenfeller, a goalkeeper and club legend, who made 453 appearances for Dortmund between 2002 and 2018. He won two Bundesliga titles and two German Cups with the club. He is highly regarded for his loyalty and dedication to BVB and now serves as a brand ambassador.
Christian Diercks, Head of the BVB Evonik Football Academy, also attended. He explained that their football philosophy remains the same wherever they are in the world:
- Embrace and create the training environment and attitude of the finest quality that produces real opportunities for players to reach their potential
- Understand and replicate the methodology and training focus needed at the highest levels
- Demand excellence and quality in all aspects of the game
- Create professional pathways for our players at different age levels
- Offer the opportunity for players to be identified early in their career and then monitored for progression year to year by coaches from Borussia Dortmund’s academy
- Develop coaches to their highest potential with exchange and learning opportunities
- Implement playing style and player milestones like the professional environment
- Use resources directly from the academy
- Represent nationally the Borussia Dortmund brand, the club’s history, and its outstanding reputation for player development
Rob stresses that although this partnership has moved the club to another level, the pathway for players doesn’t change. He adds, “Whilst we are aligned with a professional brand now, it’s still football for all. From the very first day that we started RMA and moved on to Sporting Son Ferrer to today, it’s always been about football for all. I don’t want anybody to think that they’re not good enough for this club.”
On a personal note, I look forward to seeing my son Jacob begin his coaching career at the club — and also to witnessing the impact this partnership will have on the future of youth football here on the island. If you are interested in your child joining the club, please contact Rob on 0034 691 173 265.