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Senegal head coach Saliou Dia says African football will thrive if it can build on the success of teams at junior levels. He says that so much talent is revealed and it must be nurtured and guided to succeed.
Dia has led Senegal to their first ever final at the TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the tactician believes these players will carry the country’s success in the years to come.
The tactician spoke to CAFOnline about the importance of developing players of this age group in order for African football to reach the next level.
What do you think about the work done by the Confederation of African Football, which considers youth football very important?
The fact that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) knows that the success of African football starts at the lowest age group, this is the solution for African football. With this in mind, I am sure Africa will shine globally.
The year 2023 has been the year of African youth competitions. What can you say about them so far?
It has been U20, now U17 and the U23 competitions are coming soon. These competitions are always a good opportunity for players to improve. They give them a platform to take the next steps in their careers, turn professional and start their journey as the future of African football.
Senegal has now won four championships in continental competitions. Does the U17 team deserve fifth place?
The U17 AFCON is a slightly different competition. These players are young and need to show what they’ve got.
Our goal was to go beyond the group stage and then take it one game at a time. We prepared very well for this competition and now we will see what happens in the final.
What do you think of the level of competition at the U17 AFCON?
The level of competition is very high and everyone wants to succeed. I am also happy with the level of our players as Senegal and we should encourage them and give them confidence that they have the character to get results and give something to our country.
Any final words for the Senegalese fans?
They should pray for us and continue to support the big one and we for our part will represent Senegal well.
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Sources 2/ https://www.cafonline.com/total-u17-africa-cup-of-nations/2023/news/senegal-s-dia-asks-africa-to-build-on-from-excellence-at-junior-level The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
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