Football: Interview with national team coach Ralph Jean-Louis |23 September 2015

‘Coaching is natural for me and I just love it’

On October 7 at Stad Linite, Ralph ‘Tiapout’ Jean-Louis will be in the dug-out as he begins his second stint as the head coach of the Seychelles national team, a position he left back in 2011 after coaching the country’s side to winning their first ever gold medal in football at the Indian Ocean Island Games.

Since this historic day at Stad Linite, the team have been far from impressive and this is why Jean-Louis’ appointment has been greeted positively by football fans who await to find out if he can bring back to the team the intensity and desire that were present during his first reign.

Jean-Louis was one of four candidates interviewed for the job, beating out Frenchman Dominique Veilex, Australian Danny Perry and a German to land the job.

Sports Nation met coach Jean-Louis as he looks to begin his second stint with a win against Burundi next month.

Sports Nation: You are now the head coach of the national team for a second time, what does this job represent to you?

Ralph Jean-Louis: I think it is an honour and privilege to coach a national team. Not many coaches get the opportunity to do this job twice and this is thanks to my devotion and continuing hard work to help in the development of football in Seychelles.

Sports Nation: What targets and condition have been set out for you by the Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) this time?

Ralph Jean-Louis: I have been given a one-year contract by the federation. At the end of the year I will need to make a decision with regards to my position as St Michel coach. I will have to resign from the club in order to take the national team job on a full-time basis, but this is a decision I will make when the time comes. Meanwhile, in the short term, we have a World Cup qualifying match coming up against Burundi. It is a very important encounter and I think there is a possibility that we will do well. The only difficulty right now is that we can’t have training sessions as the league calendar is very tight and the clubs have so many games, but we will try to have a training session next Wednesday (September 30) and do some work. We will perhaps regroup on Sunday October 4 before we enter a camp and do some work before the game on Wednesday (October 7).

Sports Nation: Since winning the Indian Ocean Island Games gold medal in 2011 under your guidance the team have not done very well. What would you say has changed since your departure?

Ralph Jean-Louis: I can’t really say what has changed within the team as I was not there, but we can see that the players who formed part of the team had changed and as we speak my technical staff and I have come up with a 26-man list for the game against Burundi. They are 26 players who I think have a good balance and at the same time they can deliver on the pitch as well.

Sports Nation: This means you have already decided on the quality of players you will prefer to work with during your time?

Ralph Jean-Louis: Definitely. I have my way of coaching football and it is the same way I played the game and I am someone who enjoys possession football as the more possession you have it is difficult for your opponents to score. If we can’t maintain possession then the group of players I have can come up with a strategy which can be useful for us to win the match.

Sports Nation: Recently we have seen the team employing mostly defensive tactics in matches. Will you be looking to change this?

Ralph Jean-Louis: Well, it all depends on the group of players at my disposal on game day. To me it is good that we are having so many matches in the league right now as it allows me to have seasoned and fit players, but that also increases the risk of injuries. Even now, with St Michel I have players, including player of the year Gervais Waye-Hive, Yannick Manoo and Alex Nibourette, who are out with injuries. If we don’t have these players come match day, then we will have some difficulties. This is why I can’t say we are going to play attacking football as it will depend on the players I will be able to field that day.

Sports Nation: Earlier you mentioned that you have already identified a technical team who will be working with you. Can you reveal the names of the members of your technical team?

Ralph Jean-Louis: Of course. My first assistant is Bruno (Saindini) and the second is Don Anacoura. Sam Moses is my medical officer and the team administrator is Micheal Delpeche.

Sports Nation: What are your thoughts on the forthcoming games for the Seychelles national team?

Ralph Jean-Louis: With regards to the World Cup qualifier against Burundi here, surely if the players go into the match with the same confidence and hunger as I saw in the game against Ethiopia and with the adjustments I will make I think we definitely can get a positive result here. Just like us, Burundi have never gone beyond the preliminary round of the qualifiers and they will also be looking forward to getting past us.

For the African Cup of Nations qualifiers (Afcon), we have already dropped points in the first two games, so it will all depend on the game against Lesotho in February. If we play with confidence and as a unit we can do well and if we can pick up points in the remaining matches, then who can say we can’t finish second in the group?

Sports Nation: You were one of four people who applied for the job when it was advertised. What made you decide to apply for the post again?

Ralph Jean-Louis: I always say to myself that coaching is natural for me and I just love coaching. I still have a lot of interest in coaching and since my age still permits me to do it, I told myself why not try again. The last time I was successful thanks to the support of my family and the general public. I don’t know if this will be my final chance. But to be a part of the World Cup qualifiers is a privilege.

Sports Nation: You have stated that you will be staying with St Michel for the rest of the season and with the league now more competitive than ever, how will you be approaching it?

Ralph Jean-Louis: Well, I spoke to the St Michel team management earlier and they told me to take this opportunity, but not to just leave them, but instead keep working with the team until the end of the season when I can decide if I want to leave permanently. It’s true that there is a lot of competition in the league right now, but that will not stop St Michel from going about our business. Last weekend we had a tough match against La Passe where we had to fight hard to clinch all three points and we want to ensure that we pick up all three points in every match we play so that by the end of the season we can retain our league title.

Sports Nation: If you do leave St Michel at the end of the year, do you personally have anyone in mind who you think can succeed you as head coach?

Ralph Jean-Louis: Well, the team will meet soon as some members of management were not in the country and during the meeting the prospective candidates will be mentioned. But St Michel already have a structure and we already have Brian (Uranie) who is used to stepping in when I’m not available and we already have two people – Roddy (Victor) and Andrick (Savy) – who hold coaching license B and they occasionally take charge of the team. But definitely at the end of the year St Michel will need to find a new permanent coach in the event of my departure.

Sports Nation: I see you have mentioned former teammate, player and now fellow head coach Don Anacoura as your assistant. It seems you hold him in high regard. Do you feel he has what it takes to one day take the St Michel job as you did after retiring as a player?

Ralph Jean-Louis: Well, Don is surely a candidate to coach St Michel in the future as he is an example to other Seychellois players as he guided and captained the Seychelles team to winning the first Indian Ocean island Games gold medal. I have always seen him as an exemplary footballer, especially with the younger players who will be joining the national team. I think Don will be a good motivation factor for them as he can talk to them at their level since he is not that older than tem. I have worked with Don, played alongside him, coached him and now to have him as part of the national team coaching staff is a pleasure and I hope he can bring his experience from his playing days to the table as well.

Sports Nation: Is there anything you wish to add before we conclude?

Ralph Jean-Louis: I just want to ask the players to be motivated and turn up for training so we can get some positive results. At the same time I would like to call upon the supporters who were exemplary during the 2011 Indian Ocean Island Games to come to the game and give our players the support so that they can produce a good performance against Burundi here.

Sports Nation wishes coach Jean-Louis and the Seychelles national team all the best as they embark on a new adventure in their bid to keep the Seychelles flag flying high.

Interview conducted by S. N.