Since the end of May, Frenchman Thierry Pinot has been leading a FIFA mission in the Comoros as part of the Talent Development Program (TDS). The goal: to structure youth training and create a national academy. “We first conducted scouting sessions on several islands, during which nearly 400 players born between 2011 and 2013 were tested. Only those with proven potential were selected (16 U15s, 12 U14s, and 12 U13s). For many, this is their first experience in 11-a-side football,” emphasizes the former Pau FC coach in a country where pitches and coaches are scarce. Around him, a staff of 20 people supervises the three generations that make up the new national academy. “The potential is there! They have an exceptional relationship with the ball and real creativity.” How, then, can you provide tactical foundations without distorting your players? The holder of a master's degree in tactical periodization has chosen "a balanced approach. During the six weekly sessions, we provide benchmarks on concepts such as space occupation and positioning in relation to the opponent, but without restricting players who like to provoke and move forward." An exciting and ambitious project whose ultimate goal is to qualify this local generation - enriched by players from training centres in France - for the next U17 AFCON.
Brief
Thierry Pinot (centre), FIFA Talent Coach in the Comoros, poses with the U15 team from the national academy he has just set up with his staff / ©DR