Spain coach to lead COSSASA soccer squads

MBABANE – Spanish Coach Tomeu Perello Palou has hit the ground running.

The Union of European Football Associations UEFA A-licensed tactician, who was unveiled to spearhead the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) Talent Development Scheme (TDS) last month, will lead Eswatini’s football teams at the upcoming Confederation of School Sport Associations of Southern Africa (COSSASA) Games.

Palou was introduced by the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) during a press conference at Sigwaca House to oversee the country’s youth football development programme, which was launched locally in 2023. The Spaniard signed a two-year contract with an option to extend, with FIFA covering his operational costs.

His appointment comes at a high point for Spanish football, following Spain securing their second FIFA World Cup title with a 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina. A source close to the local football governing body revealed that Palou will travel with the youth national teams to represent the country at the regional showpiece in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

“The coach will be part of the COSSASA Games soccer team and will travel with Team Eswatini tomorrow for Zimbabwe,” the source said. The source added that Palou’s decision to travel with the squads stems from his desire to assess player progress first-hand and evaluate their performance against regional counterparts.

Eswatini Schools Sports Association (ESSA) Treasurer Lucky Dlamini acknowledged reports that the TDS coach might accompany the football delegation, though he declined to elaborate further.

According to ESSA President Zakhele Myeni, the country will be represented by two sporting codes in the regional schools competition, namely athletics and soccer. Myeni confirmed the details during a recent presentation where Instacash and Joma Sports South Africa handed over kit to the delegation.