Marcel Kouadio (PRECIS president): "Professionalism is a must for us"

Can you tell our readers about the PRECIS training centre?

The PRECIS football training centre is now based in Bonoua, more precisely in Assé.  We used to be at the Police School in Abidjan. But since that pitch is due to serve as a training ground for the upcoming AFCON, we have set up base in Bonoua. It is a sport-and-study academy. We have a dormitory under construction. The Academy takes in children aged 9 to 12. The training lasts 3 to 4 years. Once those years of training are over, we receive visits from agents and scouts. At 15, the boarders are already on their way to joining clubs. Those with talent and a bit of luck are spotted by clubs in developed countries.

Where do you get the funds to finance the building of the centre?

The centre is financed from our own funds. It is a sacrifice I am making personally. Our ambition is to build the big academy in the centre of the country. For this project, we have 3 hectares of land. After the Assé centre, we will turn our attention to the big centre to build another academy. And to finance that project, we will need the support of partners and companies to get there.

Are the parents happy with the centre?

Satisfaction is total. The proof is that since we left the police school, many parents keep asking us when we are opening the dormitory. Another source of satisfaction is the trip to Yamoussoukro that we organised for a scouting tournament. The parents loved it, and they were proud to see their children heading off to a football tournament.

Professional standards are an obsession for you. Why?

I am an IT specialist by profession, and the many trips I have made have let me see what the best practice is elsewhere. That drives me to immerse myself in professionalism. It is a must for us if we want to be a benchmark tomorrow.

What would you like to say to parents as a closing word?

To the parents, I would ask for patience. They expect a lot from the centre and from their children because they have invested in the training, and that takes time. To the children, I would say be brave and hard-working, because they are the ones who must come back and help their parents. To Ivorians, I would say there is an academy steadily making its way. Soon there will be a big scouting event in the 2nd and 3rd quarters of 2024. Everyone will get their chance.

Interview by Sanh Séverin