Africa’s top coaches on course to completing CAF Pro License

Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter

TWENTY-three top coaches on the African continent are currently in their final module for the inaugural CAF Pro License coaching diploma in Rabat, Morocco, that is being conducted by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) in partnership with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (RMFF).

A first of its kind for African football, the highest-ranking qualification in Caf’s coaching education structures sees the most highly respected football minds on the African continent on course to earning the highest coaching badge by Caf, which is equivalent to any high-ranking coaching qualification globally.

This will be the first group of graduates when the final module of the course officially comes to an end on Saturday, 11 June after a long journey that started back in 2018.

In a statement, Caf said the highest qualification on the continent is reserved for coaches who are active at a professional level.

“The CAF Pro License is strictly reserved for coaches who are actively coaching at a professional level, have demonstrated a certain level of high performance and achievement, and also acquired a CAF A License or equivalent qualification recognised by CAF,’’ said the continental football governing body.

The list of 23 coaches who were carefully picked through a stringent selection process includes current TotalEnergies CAF inter-club competition-winning coaches, Walid Regragui (Champions League winner), Florent Ibenge (Confederation Cup winner) and Pitso Mosimane (three-times Champions League winner), to mention but a few.

Also, part of the group, but not present in this course is TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations winning coach and former Senegalese captain, Aliou Cisse.

The journey has not been easy for the 23 participants, who are at the final stretch of the course that demanded a high level of participation in the form of assignments and reporting during what has been a very taxing season for some of them in their respective clubs and national teams.

Explaining the value and importance of this course, Caf’s director of development Raul Chipenda said this marked a significant milestone for Caf’s ultimate goal of elevating African football to greater heights.

“Africa should take pride and celebrate this important milestone that we are about to achieve. We have assembled 23 of the best football managers on the continent currently, who are about to graduate and take the African game to even greater heights thanks to knowledge acquired over the last four years.

“We must also extend our gratitude to the visionary leadership of CAF for making such a course possible. The knowledge that these coaches have acquired, accompanied by their experience can only bode well for the future of African football,’’ said Chipenda.

List of coaches:

Ammouta Lhossaine

Badou Ezaki

Fakhir M’hamed

Florent Ibengue

Pitso Mosimane

Sellami Jamal

Rachid Taoussi

Hoalid Regragui

Aliou Cisse

Tarik Skitioui

Hicham Dmiai