One month after taking over as coach of the Moroccan women’s football team, Spanish Jorge Vilda described putting together a new coaching staff, how he was chosen for the role, his ambitions for the team, and addressed Spain’s World Cup controversy.
In an interview with Mundo Deportivo media, Vilda said “I am very happy. I have found a federation that is truly committed to women’s football and above all the great acceptance by the team, by the players. And on top of that, we debuted with victory.”
Vilda previously took the Spanish national team to a victorious Australia World Cup finale.
What impressed him the most about his new team is how “receptive” the players are. He appreciates the facilities and resources available and is amazed by the love of the people.
“The passion that the national team generates in the fans is incredible,” said Vilda.
On becoming coach, he told Mundo Deportivo that It all happened fast, after receiving a call from the sports director together with the women’s football management.
The Moroccan officials informed him that he was not the only one, and that there was a shortlist, “but that if my decision was yes, they were going to bet on me as the first option.”
He then traveled to Morocco and understood that the federation desired to hire not anyone but “the” world champion coach.
Coming with a vision, Vilda believes that the first thing is to create a competitive team.
“We are talking about a four-year project and where the objective is that the results from the senior team to the U17 team improve. This also includes a talent acquisition program. This is a comprehensive project in Moroccan women’s football, which has a great future and where we have all the means at our disposal to do it,” he further explained.
Coaching the Moroccan team is Vilda’s first experience in African football, which was met with a win in the first game.
“Here goals and victories are celebrated with enormous joy and intensity,” he exclaimed.
The coach believes in following the same tactics he has been following with his past teams, in a way that will bring out all “virtues and potential of the players.”
The coach, using the help of an interpreter to communicate as the players only speak French and Arabic, admires how the players had a strong predisposition to listen.
On building a new staff, Vilda unveiled that he brought in some professionals from Spain, to assist him in his new role as they are people “of absolute trust.”
When asked if he could imagine Spain playing against Morocco, the coach indicated that it may happen next summer during the Olympics, adding that he would love it if both countries made it to the demanding competition.
The same media asked him if he pictures himself still coaching the Moroccan team in 2030, the men’s World Cup year, but he said there is a lot of time left for that.
His name was previously brought up in the Spain World Cup Kiss controversy. When asked to comment, he said “Right now it is an issue that I cannot talk about because it is right now in the hands of a judge and we have to wait for his final decision. I already made my position and thoughts clear when I came to testify.”