Head coach of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sébastien Desabre has heaped praise on the impressive evolution of African football in recent years.
The Leopards coach was speaking to CAFOnline on the sidelines of the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Cote d’Ivoire 2023 Coach’s Symposium taking place in Abidjan between 12 – 13 September.
Desabre, who guided the Leopards to a fourth-place finish at the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON is amongst a high profile calibre of coaches and CAF Ambassadors that are attending the two-day gathering in Abidjan.
Cafonline.com: You’ve been in charge of the Leopards for two years now, how has that been?
Sébastien Desabre: I take great pleasure in working with the Democratic Republic of Congo. We have succeeded in creating a performance-friendly working environment, injecting new impetus into management, and establishing new interactions with the players and the federation. With the support of the Ministry, we have the opportunity to operate transparently and always know the rules that govern our activities. At the end of each training camp, a report is produced in which I share my thoughts and examine areas for improvement. We seek to progress from one session to the next in order to perfect and correct the elements that have been mismanaged.
You are currently on a six-match unbeaten streak in the qualifying stages of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations. How have you managed this?
In the national team, everything moves very quickly. We are on this unbeaten streak but are already looking ahead to the next fixtures, including the match against Tanzania. These statistics indicate that we are in good form. However, the data is mainly beneficial for journalists and fans. We remain focused on our objectives. When a game is over, we are already thinking about the next one and the idea of winning it.
You began your career as a coach in 2006. What made you choose this path? What major changes have you observed since then?
I would say the mentality of the players, including everything that comes with it, such as social networks. It’s not the same management style. We have to stay in the game. On a strictly footballing level, the game has undergone a major evolution. Today, my perception of football is very different from what it was at the beginning of my career. In the beginning, I made mistakes that allowed me to learn and grow. It is thanks to these mistakes that I have reached this level of experience in Africa today. Having spent more time on the continent than most of my players, I consider this to be an essential asset to achieve our goals with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
You started your career as a tactician on African soil with Asec Mimosa. You are back in Côte d’Ivoire for the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON 2023 Coaches Symposium.
It’s a twist of fate. It’s true that I lived here at the time with my family; my sons were very young then, and they’ve grown up a lot since. It brings back good memories. We spent some great years here with a very welcoming people. We made many friends. And now, a little cherry on top, is that every time I return here, I remember that it was on these lands that we accomplished great things with the DRC. What we experienced and shared at the AFCON is a strong bond that unites us. We want to relive these beautiful moments. We work for that! It was a magical moment in the career of a player and a coach, and sharing all this with the Congolese people is priceless.
What do you like most about your job?
Personally, what I like best is the matches as well as the tactical and technical preparation during the training sessions. It is important to implement strategies and work on execution. Then, we can evaluate their effectiveness on the field. If, during the match, certain elements do not work, it is essential to adjust; it is part of our responsibility. Telling yourself that you are preparing as professionally as possible, thinking about setting something up, and when it succeeds, it’s a satisfaction.
Nowadays, the coach is often described as the second most important person in a country, after the President. Can this role be perceived as a difficult burden to bear?
Being on the front line means accepting certain pressures. Of course, not everything always works out the way you want it to, but the important thing is to remember that in such exposed and important roles, it is imperative to be 150% involved in this job so that you don’t regret the moments when things go wrong. It is therefore essential to give everything, so that, when observing yourself in the mirror, you can claim to have achieved everything that was possible