FORMER Seychellois footballers and football followers alike agree that Englishman
Adrian Fisher was the key figure behind the development of football in Seychelles.

His arrival in Seychelles in late 1969 or early 1970 brought a new vitality, strength
and enthusiasm to the game.

It is said that football was introduced here by Europeans in the early 1930s. Even
though there was no structured programme, football developed into a sport with a
good fan base. Through the investment of businesses, football grew in popularity and
matches were played at Gordon Square (now Freedom Square) in Victoria, the capital
city of Seychelles found on the main island of Mahé.

Many of those matches were between local sides and visiting naval ships.

In 1936, Dr J. T. Bradley sponsored the first cup – the Challenge Cup - and it brought
the kind of vigour among players and teams.

A league championship was then organised. Five teams registered for the league and
a total of 20 matches were played. Most of the players didn’t have football boots and
therefore played barefoot.

Teams captains and coaches were required to form a committee to oversee the proper
procedures and the running of annual competitions.

By 1955 there were nine participating teams and entrance for matches was free. But
spectators donated voluntarily for the payment of referees and for the maintenance of
the playing field.

Seychelles’ first national team

It is said that Adrian Fisher not only introduced new skills and techniques to Seychelles
football in the 1970s, but that he also implemented the required 90 minutes of football
for one game.

Before Adrian Fisher’s arrival in Seychelles, games were played over 60 minutes
(30 minutes each half).

On April 12, 1970, the country’s first national team, coached by Adrian Fisher, travelled
to Kenya to participate in a friendly tournament. It took the team two days to reach
Kenya and playing for the first time on a full-size football pitch they drew 2-2 with
Feisel and lost 1-2 to Mwengi in the Mombassa Stadium.

Rolly Baker and Louis Woodcock scored for Seychelles against Feisel while Tony
Hoareau netted the team’s consolation goal against Mwengi.

The players who formed the country’s first national team were: Eddie Micock (forward),
Julien Larame (centre half), Mathew Docteur (inside left), Gerard Pellissier (goalkeeper), Philip Kilindo (inside right), Louis Woodcock (outside left), Dawson Sinon (half back and
captain), Rolly Baker (inside left), Gilbert Servina (half back), Anthony Hoareau
(outside right), James Jean-Louis (inside right), Joseph Larue (goalkeeper), James
Adam (full back), Desire Mein (full back) and Donald Marie (utility man).

Upon the team’s return home, goalscorer Rolly Baker was quoted as saying that “there
could have been many Seychellois in the stands but to our ears it sounded as if the
place was filled with them. We tried to respond, but the occasion seemed a little too
much for us. Being so shaky, we could not get going. Just consider it that this was the
first Seychelles national team, its first tour abroad and the first time any of us had
played in a proper stadium and it was a foreign one.”

As for Robert Frichot, the Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) chairman at that time,
he had this to say in the Seychelles Bulletin newspaper of April 20, 1970:

“Without doubt, little Seychelles has impressed its big neighbour Kenya with its
football”.

Since then, Seychelles has made little impact in the international arena, winning just
nine of 59 games played, according to FIFA’s 2005 edition of the ALMANAC.

The country’s national team won the silver medal in the first Indian Ocean Islands
Games (IOIG) in Reunion in 1979. In the second edition in Mauritius in 1985, they
won the bronze medal and repeated the feat in Reunion in 1998 and in Mauritius in 2003.

In 1995, the Seychelles under-17 team won the gold medal of the Commission de la
Jeunesse et des Sports de l’Océan Indien (CJSOI) football competition played in
Madagascar.

The country’s first stadium – Stade Populaire – was built in the 1970s. The 5,000-seater
Stade Populaire was renovated in 1992.

The much bigger 12,000-seater Stad Linite was constructed in 1992 to host football
matches of the fourth edition of the IOIG which Seychelles organized in 1993.

Affiliation to international bodies

The SFF became a member of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association
(FIFA) and Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 1986.

The Seychelles national team have never qualified for the finals of the African Nations
Cup. In fact, they made their debut in qualifiers in 1986, losing to Mauritius.

Under Yugoslav coach Vojo Gardasevic, the Seychelles team made their debut in the
World Cup qualifiers in 2001. Philip Zialor got the equaliser for Seychelles in a 1-1 draw
against Namibia at Stad Linite. In the preliminary round return leg match, Seychelles
lost 0-3.

In their second attempt to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, Seychelles lost 0-4 at home
to Zambia but played a 1-1 draw in the away match. Robert Suzette was the scorer of
Seychelles’ goal in Lusaka.

Seychelles’ biggest win must have come against Zimbabwe in the African Nations Cup
2004 qualifiers.

Goals by strikers Alpha Baldé (a 73^rd minute penalty) and Philip Zialor (an 87^th minute
free-kick) gave Seychelles a 2-1 win at Stad Linite against Zimbabwe captained by
professional striker Peter Ndlovu. German coach Michael Nees was at the helm of the
team at that time.

Under Frenchman Dominique Bathenay, Seychelles also beat Eritrea 1-0 at Stad Linite
on a veteran Roddy Victor goal in the same qualifiers.

The SFF is also a member of the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations
(COSAFA).

Both the Seychelles under-20 and senior teams have participated in the different
competitions organised by COSAFA.

Creation of the SFF

According to reports, the Seychelles Football Association was formed in 1941 to
oversee the running of competitions.

The SFA’s referees’ commission was formed in 1953 and qualified referees were
given certificates. Anthime Hoareau was Seychelles’ first qualified referee in 1953 and
he served on the referees’ commission for 30 years.

The Seychelles Football Association became the Seychelles Football Federation in 1980.

Some of the SFF chairmen include: Gustave de Commarmond, Brother Austin, Philip
Fock-Heng, Robert Frichot, Suketu Patel from 1980 to 1991 and from 1995 until now,
and Finley Racombo from 1991 to 1994.

Seychelles in African club competitions

Seychelles’ first team to play in African club football competitions are St Louis. With
players like Bernard Dorasamy, Paul Khan, Ange Dubignon and Vincent Dorasamy,
St Louis held COSFAP to a goalless draw at Stad Popiler in the preliminary round of the
former African Champions Cup in 1989.

Vincent Doarasmy scored with a free-kick in the return leg match in Madagascar to
propel St Louis into the first round where they met Fire Brigade of Mauritius. They lost
both ties on 1-0 score.

St Michel and Red Star have been the most successful team in African club competitions
, reaching the second round of the African Champions League, African Cup Winners Cup and the CAF Cup.

In the African Champions League in 2001, St Michel eliminated AS Fortior of
Madagascar 3-1 (0-0 away and 3-1 at home) in the preliminary round, defeated
St Marsouins on away goals rule 4-4 (lost 2-3 away and won 2-1 at home) in the first
round, before losing 0-6 (0-5 away and 0-1 at home) to A-Ahly of Egypt who went on
to win the crown.

In the 2003 edition of the CAF Cup, St Michel eliminated DSA of Madagascar (0-0 at
home and 1-0 away) to progress to the second round where they meet Green Buffaloes
 of Zambia, going out 2-6 (0-5 away and winning 2-1 at home).

In the African Cup Winners Cup in 2002, St Michel got a hat-trick from Philip Zialor in
the return leg match at home as they defeated Zimbabwe’s Shabanie Mine 4-0.

In the second round, they lost 1-3 (0-1 away and 1-2 at home) to AS Vita of DR Congo.

In fact, Red Star were the first Seychelles team to reach the second round of an African Club competition.

In the African Cup Winners Cup in 1997, Red Star won by walk-over against Club
Namakia of Madagascar and Maxaquene of Mozambique in the preliminary and first
rounds.

In the second round, they lost 0-5 (0-2 at home and 0-3 away) to Ste Louisienne of
Reunion.

Red Star are the Seychelles club to win by the highest margin in these competitions,
beating Mauritius’ Savanne Sporting Club 4-0 at Stad Linite after having lost the African Confederations Cup preliminary round away fixture 0-2.

Philip Zialor is the only Seychellois to have netted a hat-trick in a club competition.
The striker is also the highest scorer with 11 goals – 10 for St Michel and one for St Louis.

Seychelles’ best players of all time

Some of Seychelles’ best players of all time are: Rolly Baker, Jimmy Baker, Ralph
Micock, Dawson Sinon, Michael Mancienne, Bernard Dorasamy, Philip Zialor, Ange
Dubignon, Robin Mousbé, Paul Khan, Jim Louis, Simon Françoise, Alpha Baldé, Suketu
Patel, Jeris César, Barry Furneau, Michael Barra, Ulric Mathiot, Nelson Sopha and
Charles Alcindor.

Only two Seychellois players have so far been able to play in foreign leagues. In the
mid-90s, Jim Louis formerly with Beau Vallon, joined Ste Suzanne of Reunion, while
ex-Red Star captain and midfield strategist Simon Françoise, signed for Fire Brigade of
Mauritius.

Patel on FIFA and CAF

Current SFF boss Suketu Patel is quite a prominent figure in world football as he holds
key position on a number of CAF and FIFA sub-committees.

Patel is a member of FIFA’s Under-17 World Cup organising committee. He is also the
chairman of CAF’s Finance committee, a member of CAF’s Emergency committee,
Vice-chairman of CAF’s women’s football committee and a member of CAF’s Club
competitions committee.

If the country’s national team haven’t been able to qualify for the African Nations Cup,
referee Eddie Maillet has done it.

After becoming an international referee in 2001, Maillet made his first African Nations
Cup appearance in Tunis, Tunisia in 2004 and refereed two group matches.

In Egypt in 2006, referee Maillet took charge of two more group matches, refereed the
 quarterfinal encounter between defending champions Tunisia and Nigeria and he was
chosen as the fourth official in the final opposing hosts Egypt and Ivory Coast.

Youth Development

A lot is being done to develop youth football in Seychelles and the brain behind the
scheme is SFF boss Suketu Patel. Under-13, under-15 and under-18 teams train
regularly on the artificial astro-turf pitches built in 2001 with funds received under
FIFA’s Goal Project.

In 2006, the second phase of the Goal Project  - the technical centre – was officially
inaugurated by three-time European Footballer of the Year and former France national
team captain Michel Platini, who now holds a number of posts with FIFA, the Union of
European Football Associations (UEFA) and the Fédération Française de Football (FFF).

The project has cost US$1,271,700. The different contributions have come from the
Seychelles government to the extent of US$540,900 and this includes the land the
building has been built on, from Fifa US$400,000 and the SFF US$331,819.

Seychellois coaches working with youth teams are paid monthly allowances by the SFF
and all their work is monitored by Rwandan technical advisor Raoul Shungu.

In total, there are four divisions in Seychelles football – divisions one, two and three
with each one boasting 10 teams, as well as the Central League.

Junior league and knockout competitions at school and club level are also organized on
weekends.

To bring young players to training on time, the SFF acquired two busses in 2004.

All these prove that the SFF has been meticulously implementing the youth scheme to strengthen grassroots football in Seychelles.

It is hoped that in the years to come, SFF’s systematic youth development programme
will help produce good players and strong Seychelles teams capable of qualifying for
the African Nations Cup or even the World Cup.

The emphasis is not only on developing good players, officials are also incorporated in
SFF’s development structure.

In 2005, the SFF started four different programmes to train coaches, medical officers,
team managers and games’ officials.

By 2007, all coaches, medical officers and managers should have followed the different

courses run by SFF officials otherwise they won’t be allowed to have anything to do

with the teams they are affiliated with.

This, according to SFF chairman Patel, will help bring Seychelles football to the next
level.

Seychelles’ League champions

In the 1960s, Ascot dominated Seychelles’ football. Rangers and Rovers took their turn
to win trophies in the 1970s.

During the time of regionalization from 1982 to 1993, St Louis dominated club football
in Seychelles, winning10 league titles and a number of cup competitions.

Since the re-introduction of clubs in 1995, St Michel have won the division one league
title five times.

Seychelles’ League champions since 1995

1995: Sunshine
1996: St Michel
1997: St Michel
1998: Red Star
1999: St Michel
2000: St Michel
2001: Red Star
2002: La Passe
2003: St Michel
2004: La Passe
2005: La Passe

Women’s football

Reports say that women’s football was played in Seychelles for the first time in 1966.
It is said that a team of 10 female players lost 1-2 to a men’s veteran team.

Women’s football in Seychelles is very well organised and the SFF runs competitions –
league and different knockout tournaments – for the five teams registered with the
federation.

The federation also employs a female sports coach, herself a player, to help develop
women’s football in Seychelles.

Some of the most prominent teams are Olympia Coast, Dolphins and Ste Anne United.

In 2004, the country’s youth team won the Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports
de l’Océan indien football competition gold medal in front of their home crowd. But
against IK Umea, boasting Brazilian star Marta, the Seychelles women’s team were no
match for the European champions, losing in double digits in 2004.

World stars visit Seychelles

Over the years, many football stars have visited Seychelles. Among them are Michel
Platini, Rio Ferdinand, Didier Deschamps, Gianluca Vialli, Clarence Seedorf and Patrick
Viera.

In 1976, Englishman Jimmy Hill visited Seychelles and watched the Rangers/Ascot Cup
final. Rangers won the match 6-2.

After the match, Englishman Hill said:

“The players have natural skills which were evident in the Cup final.”

As for Brazilian Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé and considered as
one or the world’s finest footballer of all time, he arrived in Seychelles on February 18,
1979.

A Pele Cup was organized between Rovers and a selection of players from the different local sides. The match ended 1-1.