AFRICAN SPORTS MONTHLY
'Sports is our Business'
  • Home
  • NEWS
  • Rankings
  • Radio
  • TV

Young Mauritius setting bigger goals

6/30/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
© AFP
Going into their final CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2017 qualifier against Mozambique in September, Mauritius have already been eliminated from the competition. But that does not mean the players will take it easy. Far from it.
​
“For us the last game is very important," Mauritius national coach Joe Tshupula told FIFA.com recently. "It is very important that we try to win this game. If we manage that, it would be the first time that Mauritius finished second in their qualifying group and it would auger well for the future.” 

Although finishing second would not be the best-ever result that Club M had achieved – they qualified for the finals in 1974, but only needed to beat Lesotho and Tanzania en route – it would be a further indication that football on the island state is on the up. A look at the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking merely confirms that. In the latest rankings from June, Mauritius sit at 142nd in the world, their highest position since May 2007, when they were ranked in the same spot. Tshupula, who has also coached in Belgium as well as in Congo DR, believes that the rise in Mauritian football is closely associated with the increased interest football officials in the country showed towards seeing the team progress.

“They have introduced a professional league and are working hard for the future," Tshupula said, adding that it had not been an easy undertaking. "I am also looking at players outside the country, as well as within. The team has responded well and has started to work hard to arrive at this objective. The team is very young and that means you have to have a lot of patience.”

Consistent improvement
Mauritius' rise through the rankings has not been as rapid as others, but it has been consistent. In December, the team was ranked 174th. In the following months, they climbed to 172nd, and then 154th and now up to 142nd – consistently climbing or remaining, but never falling back.

They beat Rwanda in an AFCON qualifier, but they lost the return leg in Kigali. They were beaten just 2-0 at home by African powerhouse Ghana in another AFCON qualifier before turning their attention to the regional COSAFA Cup. In the tournament hosted by Namibia, Club M lost to Lesotho and Malawi, before securing a good 2-0 win against 2006 FIFA World Cup™ finalists Angola.
Although the team has secured more success in the regional competition, Tshupula is daring to dream big. “If we want to progress, it is very important that we have a big objective," he said. "Our first goal is to reach the Africa Cup of Nations finals. It is very important to work hard to reach the continental competition, very important for the future of football in our country.
​
“At the moment, it is very difficult task because we have a young team, but in football everything is possible. We will work hard to do as well as we can. For the future of football in Mauritius, it is very important to participate in big competitions in Africa. As to the World Cup, I think that might be a step too high for us. Only five African teams go to the World Cup. Of course we are putting in the effort, but we have to be realistic.” 
​
Another aspect that the coach is looking after is the importance of youth football and development, and the country will be hosting the COSAFA U-17 tournament. “I hope in future to organize a competition for the U-23, because it is very important for the future of football in this country," Tshupula said. "In 2019 we will also host the Indian Ocean Games, so there are many things to look forward to.”

Among clubs that Tshupula has previously coached are Mauritian top-flight teams Cercle de Joachim and AS Riviere du Rempart, but he's enjoying the challenge of planning for the long term. “In the national team it is very important to go and look for good players to make a good team," he explained. "The short-term objective of coaching club or country is different.
​
"For a national coach it is very important to stay concentrated and to look in many places for players to strengthen the team. This would be a good solution for football in Mauritius and this way the footballing future in Mauritius is bright.” 
​
By: FIFA.com
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    July 2024
    June 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    Menu

    All
    2014 FIFA World Cup
    Athletics
    Basketball
    Boxing
    Commonwealth Games
    Cricket
    Golf
    Hockey
    Marathons
    News
    Olympics
    Rugby
    Soccer
    Spotlight
    Tennis
    Track And Field
    Volleyball
    Women Soccer
    Wrestling


    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed


    Tweets by ASMONTHLY

Tweet to @ASMONTHLY

Contact Us

    Contact Us

Submit

Donate & Support Our Efforts at African Sports Media Network