The Maurice-Revello tournament bringing together several national under-23 teams is currently taking place in several communes in the Bouches-du-Rhône.
Despite two years of absence linked to the Covid, recruiters from the biggest European clubs are still present.
But difficult to market there, because some players already have a high market value despite their young age.
A blazing sun on the Jules-Ladoumègue stadium in Vitrolles, in the Bouches-du-Rhône.
Provençal accents interspersed with foreign notes, and dozens of people scribbling little notebooks, some in the colors of major European clubs.
No doubt, the Maurice-Revello tournament, formerly the Toulon tournament, is back after two years of cancellation due to Covid.
To the delight of the recruiters, who came to scrutinize the young nuggets under 23 from several selections such as France, Argentina, Algeria, the Comoros, Panama, Mexico, or Japan, among others.
“In total we had 720 accreditation requests, whereas usually we were more around 350. That must be explained by the two years of absence, and the quality of the set.
All the biggest clubs have applied, even if not all of them necessarily come.
But I have already seen several recruiters from OM, Lyon, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City, United, West Ham, Newcastle”, list Amayes Brahmi, head of tournament communication.
“We mainly come to see the small nations”
Like this recruiter from a top five Premier League club based in Ile de France.
“We already know the French market very well, which is well-connected.
We rather come to see other football nations, the small nations that we know much less.
Today the great players can come from everywhere, from Uruguay, from Panama, nothing should be neglected”, he confides.
Faouzi Djedou, recruiter for the Chamois Niortais, has not missed a match since the start of the tournament on Sunday.
He is satisfied with the overall "good level" of the tournament, even if several nations such as Brazil, England or Germany did not respond.
“This tournament comes at the end of the season, some guys already have 30 or 40 games in their legs so it's not easy.
But frankly after two years of absence, restarting with a bang like that is good, ”he believes.
He too knows the French market very well, where he is prospecting “up to National 3 and U19”.
“It allows us to see other players, players from underage teams.
Or players from slightly larger nations, but who don't play too much in their clubs, or simply don't have a club anymore.
We mainly look at players from French-speaking nations such as the Comoros or Algeria.
They are very good players, who play in good championships and who can adapt quickly, ”explains the recruiter.
The Japanese number 9 Sota Kinato, 17, and author of the winning goal against Algeria which caught the eye of Faouzi, is already beyond his means.
Already expensive players
Because it is not enough to identify these young players, they must also be convinced.
With a budget around 100.00 euros, it is impossible to recruit the best players for the Chamois Niortais.
“The best already all have too high a market value for an L2 club.
Some are already valued at 15-20 million euros.
What we can offer to others is playing time in Ligue 2 because we make young people play a lot, "he explains to us when Alejandro Garnacho, Manchester United player, already rated at several million euros, even though he is only 17, opens the scoring for Argentina against Panama.
@agarnacho7 kept his calm to put @Argentina 🇦🇷 ahead against
Panama
— Maurice Revello Tournament - #TMR2022 (@TournoiMRevello) June 1, 2022
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A problem that the recruiter of the top Premier League club does not know.
“We don't do a lot of recruitment, but rather well-targeted recruitment.
Everything will depend on the profile of the club to target players.
In our case, they must already be ready to adapt to our types of training, of play, ”explains the one who comes to the Maurice Revello tournament every year.
After two years of Covid, it's also the time and place to catch up with old acquaintances.
And judging by the number of handshakes and big pats on the back, networking seems at least as important as the data collected on young prospects.
"We also come to see colleagues, we stay connected and it's really a place that lends itself to it", concludes the recruiter of the Premier League club, before going to observe the team's wide victory 5 goals to 0 de France against Saudi Arabia to conclude the day.
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