for coach Stefano Cusin, the Comoros must “think like a big team”

4 mins

RFI: How did you experience the victory against Gambia and this second qualification for the Comoros, the first for you as coach?

Stepfano Cusin: I lived it in a quiet way. I play with a group of young players, of course, but they have a good mentality. They have integrity, great qualities, impeccable morale, so I was confident. From the start, and despite the fact that the group was difficult with Gambia, Madagascar and Tunisia, I think we were in the most balanced group. I even thought that the qualification was going to be decided on the last day. But thanks to our feat in Tunisiathis gave us the advantage and allowed us to qualify by beating Gambia. So, it’s great, especially since we played all our matches away (Editor’s note : due to the lack of a stadium approved by CAF, the Comoros is obliged to play its matches away). So the qualification has a different flavor from the first because we couldn’t have the support of our public.

Zero defeats in five days, victories in Tunisia and Gambia. Did you expect your group to be so successful?

Honestly, I always have confidence in my players. A coach must always be positive and think that his team is better than the others. This is the mindset that a coach must instill in players. Afterwards, we had some certainties before the start of the playoffs. For example, we beat Uganda 4-0 away, we drew 0-0 against Angola, and beat Chad (2-0). So, there were already precedents and the team, little by little, took on another dimension. She became aware of her qualities and in the end, and this is the message I wanted to send: ”Even if we weren’t yet a great team, it was important that we started to think like a team. great team.” It’s a question of mentality and there, the team has taken a step forward.

Personally, you have been in Africa for more than 20 years, you have known many clubs, many selections. Can we consider that this qualification for the CAN remains your biggest performance, while waiting for what comes next?

I think it was not easier to win the championship in Libya, even if it was with Al-Ittihad, because when I took the team, they were 5th, 9 points from 1st, and we finished leaders. So that was difficult too. I went to Palestine (to Ahli al-Khalil in Hebron), I took a team which was 3rd after the first matches, and we won all the titles in the end. Maybe at the international level, people knew me a little less, but I still think that wherever I went, I always tried to give my best and there were results. Now, it’s not always the one who wins the titles who is the best. It’s also about getting your team to give 100% of what they have. After obviously qualifying for the CAN, it gives another dimension to the international world.

There remains one last match against Madagascar (Monday 7 p.m. UT), already eliminated. A match without play, except that it is a derby and the Comoros have never won against neighboring Madagascar…

It’s true that it’s a derby, it’s true that it’s important for the country, for the nation, and at the same time, we will still have to ensure that there is a turnover. I manage a squad of 24 players. I still have to give the opportunity to play to those we have seen less. In addition, there are some players who are injured, some clubs who are asking for their players because they are going to have important matches starting on Friday. So, it’s a bit of all these parameters that need to be taken into account. The objective was qualification, we got it, and we are not going to field the same players who are tired or who have physical problems just because it is Madagascar. We have to give everyone the opportunity to show themselves because I too need to have clear ideas about the players who have played less for the future.

Also readCAN 2025: Calendar, results, and rankings of the qualifiers