Meet Will Steele, who ‘turned coach’ into director of football and stopped PSG, Neymar, Messi and Mbappe

frustration NeymarAnd Messi And Mbappe With the draw he suffered Paris Saint-Germain to Reims In the match valid for the French championship, last Sunday, it came in contrast to the enthusiasm of the opposing coach. will stillJust 30-years-old and the youngest coach in the major European leagues, he was thrilled with Balogun’s goal and celebrated the result away from home in another important chapter in his short but intriguing career on the sidelines.

Quelle Joie de Will Still sur l’égalisation du @employee ! #PSGSDR I #PrimeVideoTurn1 pic.twitter.com/jgJt78pxjl

– Prime Video Sport France (PVSportFR) January 29, 2023

Born in Belgium after his parents left the UK, he remained a player until the age of 17, but switched from football to school to become a coach. The decision took into account the passion for the game Football manager, a game that has been popular for many years in which the user leads a soccer team and makes strategic decisions both on and off the field. He moved to England to study at Myerscove College, Preston, and there began an apprenticeship coaching the Preston North End under-14 team.

“I was obsessed with this game. Her brother and I played it relentlessly – we weren’t allowed to use a PlayStation, so we played Football Manager on the family computer,” he told Coaches’ Voice. “I never thought a football manager would affect my career in real life, but now that I think about it, it definitely has.”

Years later, in 2014, he returned to Belgium looking for a job in the region, but received many negative responses. Finally, the opportunity came to be a video analyst at little Sint-Truiden. It was coach Yannick Ferreira who gave him his first chance and then took advantage of it when he was hired by Standard Liège, one of the most traditional teams in the country.

In 2017, he was an assistant coach at Lersee, in the second division, and had his first experience as a coach, when he held the position temporarily and won 20 out of a possible 27 points.

He gathered more experiences as an assistant to some teams before going to French football. At the beginning of the season, he was already an assistant at Reims. In October last year, he became interim coach after the resignation of Oscar García, and the following month, he was finally confirmed assuming the position. To date, there are 12 invincibles. The team climbed the French championship table and today occupies the eleventh place.

“I want the team to create problems for the opposition, for us to win the ball back in attack to make life difficult for them. It requires an almost superhuman effort and I’m aware of that, but it’s a risk we’re willing to take. Because we want to play ‘positive’ football and get away from our goal.” As much as possible “.

The problem is that he does not have the necessary credentials (Uefa Pro License) to train in the French Championship. So the club needs to pay Traffic fine 25,000 euros (about R$140,000) for every match he’s on the edge of the pitch. “Well, that fine was negotiated in a way. The club said: ‘We’re ready to invest in your career, as long as you keep winning,'” he told the club. daily Mail.

Will, who has brothers Edward and Nico as coach and assistant in Eupen in the Belgian League, explained his strategy to stop Paris Saint-Germain, who has international stars and leads the French League with 22 points more than Reims. “He was closing the midfield and forcing them to come back and play goalkeeper Donnarumma, which put them in as much discomfort as possible,” he said. “Reims have shown that they want to play, press and have fun. We are on a good path.”

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