Football: Cosafa Cup 2013-Seychelles team leave today for Lusaka |02 July 2013

Dutch coach Jan Mak has included a number of new players to the team, and a number of them will be getting their first caps for Seychelles.

Coach Mak’s player selection shows a desire to bring in new blood to the team as a number of young players have been brought in to replace the likes of Vincent Euphrasie, Allen Larue, Denis Barbé and Yelvanny Rose.

But Archille Henriette, Alex Nibourette, Nelson Laurence and Bernard St Ange will bring some much needed experience to the squad.

One notable absentee is goalkeeper Nelson Sopha who has retired from the international scene but is still involved with the team as goalkeeping coach.

Another big absentee is Don Anacoura who captained Seychelles to winning the gold medal at the 8th Indian Ocean Island Games here in 2011. He too has decided not to represent the national squad for personal reasons.

Defending league champions St Michel have the highest number of players – six – on the squad.

Meanwhile, Barclays Bank has also taken the opportunity to continue to contribute to local football by presenting the team with their official T-shirts to wear during their travels.

The presentation was done yesterday afternoon at the Barclays Bank offices in the Capital City building on Independence Avenue. The small ceremony was attended by team manager Damien Jean and players Jules Monnaie and Adrian Constance.

Barclays Bank managing director Rakesh Jha handed the 30 T-shirts to Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) secretary general Jemmy Adela.
The final team selection includes:

Goalkeepers: Dave Mussard (La Passe), Jules Monnaie (Northern Dynamo), Kitson Cecile (Côte d’Or)
Defenders: Yannick Manoo (St Michel), Benoit Marie (Côte d’Or), Ronny Hoareau (Northern Dynamo), Patrick Bonne (St Michel), Ronny Marengo (Northern Dynamo), Adrian Constance (St Francis)
Midfielders: Steve Henriette (St Louis Suns), Bernard St Ange (Côte d’Or), Nelson Laurence (St Michel), Randolph Lablache (The Lions), Colin Esther (Côte d’Or), Darwin Rosette (St Michel)
Strikers: Bertrand Lablache (LightStars), Gervais Waye-Hive (St Michel), Archille Henriette (La Passe), Alex Nibourette (St Michel) and Yves Zialor (La Passe).

Other members of the delegation are: Justin Mathiot (head of delegation), Jan Mak (coach), Cliff Nolin, Marc Mathiot (assistant coaches), Nelson Sopha (goalkeeping coach), Tasiana  (doctor), Sam Moses (physiotherapist), Damien Jean (team manager), Wills Sally, Jefferson Quilindo (SBC cameraman and journalist).

The Seychelles team have been drawn in group A of the preliminary round of this year’s Cosafa Cup.
The Seychelles team will face Indian Ocean rivals Mauritius, along with Tanzania in group A.

The eight lowest seeded sides according to the April Fédération internationale de Football Association (Fifa) world rankings have been pooled into two groups of four sides each. The remaining six top seeds will enter the competition in the quarterfinal stage with hosts Zambia already paired against Mozambique in their last-eight clash.

The competition is held for southern African nations. However, the Comoros and Madagascar are not taking part.

Defending champions Zimbabwe head the honours list with four titles, while Zambia, South Africa and Angola have three each. They are the only countries to have won the event. Matches will also be played in Kabwe and Kitwe.

The Cosafa Cup is making its return for the first time since 2009, when then hosts Zimbabwe defeated Zambia 3-1 in the final. The Cosafa Cup was first played in 1997 as a regional championship for Southern African sides. 

S. N.