Alioune Toure has become sporting director of Wydad Football Academy, taking on responsibility for revitalising the development of young players at one of Morocco’s most decorated clubs.
The Frenchman of Malian origin, a former player with Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, is beginning his third project in Africa after working with Paris Saint-Germain Academy in Senegal and Etoiles du Mande in Mali.
Wydad Casablanca is the most successful club in the Botola Pro, with 35 titles, and has also won the Coupe du Trone over a period of 30 years. Toure’s appointment is intended to strengthen the academy’s work and help develop the next generation of players at the Moroccan side.
In an exclusive interview with Africafoot, Toure discussed his previous experience on the continent and outlined his ambitions for his new role in Morocco. He was referred to as both the sporting director and technical director of Wydad Football Academy.
Building a new academy project
Toure moved into coaching after a playing career that began with his time at Clairefontaine between 1992 and 1994. He joined the FC Nantes academy in 1995 and progressed through the club’s system before becoming part of its performance group in Ligue 1.
His playing career later took him to Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain. After retiring from playing, he joined Chinese first-division club Shanghai Shenhua as an assistant coach in 2012.
At Wydad, his work will focus on the training and development of young footballers, with the academy positioned as the centre of a wider project to produce players capable of reaching the professional game.
Third African assignment
The move to Morocco continues Toure’s involvement in youth development across Africa. His previous projects at Paris Saint-Germain Academy and Etoiles du Mande gave him experience of working with young players in different football environments.
Some of the players he helped develop at Etoiles du Mande went on to enter professional football, while his work with Paris Saint-Germain Academy also formed part of his experience in the sector.
He now hopes to use that background to reinvigorate Wydad’s academy, while contributing to the development of young talent at Wydad Casablanca, one of the leading clubs in the Kingdom of Morocco.
Morocco’s growing football structure
Toure described Morocco as a country with a strong football culture and said its domestic competition compares favourably with major European leagues.
The country’s player-development system has become increasingly structured, particularly since Fouzi Lekjaa became president of the FRMF. That progress has helped Morocco win several youth trophies on the continent, as well as a U20 World Cup.
Toure’s experience across sub-Saharan Africa and Morocco has given him an understanding of the differences between the two regions. His new role at Wydad Football Academy will allow him to apply that knowledge to a club seeking to further develop its youth system.
