YOUNG Africans SC (Yanga) have taken a bold step in appointing French Moroccan Romain Folz as their new head coach for the 2025/26 season.

At just 35 years old, Folz (pictured) steps into one of the most high pressure jobs in African football, one backed by recent domestic dominance, soaring expectations, and an unforgiving fanbase hungry for continental success.

Although Folz holds both UEFA Pro and CONMEBOL Pro licenses and brings experience from coaching across multiple continents, the key question remains: is he genuinely prepared to take the reins of Tanzania’s most demanding football club?

A Coaching Journey Built on Variety, Not Stability

Folz’s coaching career has been nomadic but rich in diversity. Since 2018, he has worked in the United States, Uganda, Egypt, Ghana, Botswana, South Africa, Guinea, and Algeria, taking on both head coach and assistant roles. 

Most recently, he combined duties as a head coach at Algerian club Olympique Akbou with a role at FIFA as a Performance Manager for North Africa.

Despite this global exposure, much of Folz’s experience has come at clubs with limited expectations or in assistant capacities. His most notable African head coaching stints include Bechem United and Ashanti Gold in Ghana, Marumo Gallants and AmaZulu in South Africa, and Township Rollers in Botswana. 

In many of these roles, he departed early, often after a single season.

His latest success keeping Akbou safe from relegation in just eight games was impressive, but it came in a very different context than what awaits him in Dar es Salaam.

Succeeding a Champion, Not Just a Coach

Folz takes over from Algerian Miloud Hamdi, who departed for Egypt’s Ismaily SC after winning the Mainland Premier League, the Union Cup, and the Federation Cup all in just six months. 

Despite delivering silverware, Hamdi’s departure is a stark reminder of how fleeting job security can be at Young Africans, regardless of results.

The expectations now placed on Folz are clear. He must defend all domestic titles won last season, win the Community Shield, and most importantly, guide Young Africans deep into the CAF Champions League. For a club that now judges success by continental impact, a group stage berth is the bare minimum.

That would be a tough ask for any coach. For a 35 year old with limited experience at clubs of Young Africans’ stature, it represents a seismic career step.

Ready or Raw?

The pressure on Folz is immense, but so is the opportunity. If he can win early, show tactical clarity, and handle the dressing room with authority, the fans will embrace him. The Young Africans fanbase can be fiercely loyal but also brutally impatient. A few poor results, especially in the CAF Champions League qualifiers, could trigger a backlash.

While his age might be a concern for some, modern football has shown that youth isn’t a barrier to success. What matters more are adaptability, emotional intelligence, and authority all traits Folz will need in abundance.

His track record suggests adaptability is one of his strengths. His willingness to coach in different regions, under varying football cultures, and in both assistant and head coach roles indicates a coach who isn’t afraid of challenge. 

It is also understood that Arsene Wenger personally endorsed Folz to Young Africans president Hersi Ally Said during a recent FIFA Club World Cup encounter, an endorsement that likely carried significant weight in the appointment process.

A Gamble with High Stakes

Still, this appointment is a gamble. Folz has never managed a club with Young Africans’ infrastructure, budget, and pressure. Neither has he delivered success in the CAF Champions League, a competition that defines Young Africans’ current ambitions.

Young Africans themselves are gambling too. In a region where experience is often favoured over potential, hiring a young coach with limited major honours is a statement of intent but also a risk.

If the gamble pays off, Young Africans could have unearthed a modern, globally informed coach who ushers the club into a new tactical era. If it doesn’t, the club may find itself searching for yet another new coach before the season is out.

In football, timing is everything. For Romain Folz, this appointment is either the right job at the perfect time or a challenge too far, too soon.