Joe Tshupula
Belgian football director and former player
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Joe Tshupula (born 15 May 1972) is a Belgian–Congolese football director who is the head of the Academie de Football Nord in Mauritius.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Joe Hubert Tshupula Kande | ||
| Date of birth | 15 May 1972 | ||
| Place of birth | Kinshasa, DR Congo[1] | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| FC Verrewinkel[1] | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| FC Verrewinkel[2][3] | |||
| CS Nivelles[4][3] | |||
| FC Bordeaux[3] | |||
| Gazélec Ajaccio[3] | |||
| Le Havre AC[3] | |||
| 1998–1999 | Rhodienne-Verrewinkel[5] | ||
| 1999–2000[6] | A.F.C. Tubize[7] | ||
| 2001 | Kidderminster Harriers F.C. (trial)[8] | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 2005[9]–2006[10] | Royale Union Saint-Gilloise[9][11][12] | ||
| 2008–2009 | Daring Club Motema Pembe[13] | ||
| 2010–2011 | AS Rivière du Rempart (Technical Adviser) | ||
| 2012–2013 | AS Port-Louis 2000 | ||
| 2013–2016 | Cercle de Joachim SC | ||
| 2016–2017 | Mauritius | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Early life
Emigrating to Belgium aged ten, Tshupula was not linked to any team until he was 15 due to not knowing of any local outfit.[1]
Mauritius
Succeeding Fidy Rasoanaivo as the AS Port-Louis 2000 coach in 2012,[14] Tshupula was put in to handle Cercle de Joachim the next year,[15] spurring them to 20 points in the first half of 2013-14[16] and capturing that season's trophy.[17] He oversaw a repeat of that success in 2014-15[18] before stepping down to spend more tome with his family.[19] Interested in handling the Mauritius national team,[20] the Belgian worked with Frenchman Alain Happe as assistant by September 2015,[21] before taking his place and steering the young team to 142nd place on the world rankings, their furthest position since May 2007, by June the next year[22] despite failing to qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations with two draws as well as two defeats in Group H, giving in to Rwanda 0-5 their last game.[23] However, when Mauritius were bettered by Comoros and they failed to reach the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, there was speculation about the former frontman's dismissal,[24] finally resigning in 2017 after getting bettered by Angola 3-2,[25] with Brazilian Francisco Filho taking his place.[26]
About football in Mauritius, the Kinshasa native stated that it was more relaxed, not as tactical, and was more of a recreation than a job despite the league being professional,[1] comparing it to the Belgian promotion.[27] In addition, he believes that there is potential among young Mauritian footballers[27] and that the national selection can qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations in the future.[22]