One of the biggest surprises in 2016 was the signing of forward Franck Tayou halfway through the San Antonio FC inaugural season. The Cameroon native previously played professional indoor soccer, where he made a name for himself while playing for the Soles de Sonora in Mexico. Though he was no stranger to outdoor soccer, Tayou was accustomed to the playing style of indoor soccer. Nevertheless, his transition into the professional outdoor game was fluid, his impact on the pitch was immediately noticeable, and after half a season with SAFC, Franck the Tank is ready for more.
Despite signing with the club in June, Franck the Tank finished the 2016 USL campaign as the joint-leader in goals scored for the club. The forward tallied three goals in his first five appearances for SAFC, providing a spark in the attack immediately upon his arrival. Though his five goals in 17 appearances ranked highest on the team, Tayou is looking forward to making significant improvements in 2017.
“Finishing with five goals was both encouraging and disappointing given the circumstances,” Tayou said. “I’m definitely looking forward to having a full season and scoring more. My goal is to become the most clinical finisher in the league.”
Tayou’s initial venture in indoor soccer was unplanned. Like most kids, he dreamed of becoming a pro soccer player. He decided to pursue the career when he was a teenager, and after a successful collegiate stint at West Virginia University and a few years in the Premier Development League, Tayou found an opportunity to expand his horizons through indoor soccer in the Major Arena Soccer league.
“I’ve always wanted to play professional soccer,” Tayou said. “I really put my mind to it when I was 16. That’s when I realized that I had the commitment and discipline to become a pro.”
Though he prefers the outdoor game over indoor, his time in the MASL provided Tayou a channel to learn a new form of soccer. The space in indoor was tighter and the pace of the game was quicker, both factors which he believes helped him improve his outdoor playing style. When the time came to transition back to outdoor, his skills in front of goal were sharper than ever.
“The adjustment I had to make was more on the fitness level,” Tayou said. “Very few good outdoor players can play indoor. My experience in indoor definitely made me smarter and more dangerous in front of goal.”
The 26-year-old quickly became a fan favorite at Toyota Field. His 6’2” frame and athletic build earned him the nickname ‘Franck the Tank,’ and his goal scoring earned him the love from supporters. He found a quality club in San Antonio FC, and is grateful for the opportunity to represent the Alamo City in silver and black.
“San Antonio FC is a first-class organization, there’s no doubt about that,” Tayou said. “The supporters here are also amazing. Hearing them chant my name is a feeling I can’t describe. It’s truly a blessing to be in the position I am in.”
The team’s inaugural season was a learning experience for Tayou. Though missing out on the USL playoffs left the forward wanting more, he is certain that the team will grow from their mistakes and accomplish great things in 2017.
“I was a bit disappointed with the 2016 season, both as a team and individually,” Tayou said. “The goal was to make the playoffs and we didn’t, but that’s football. We have to learn and move on. As a team we had a very good mixture of talent, experience, and youth, but sometimes it takes more than that to win a championship.”
Tayou is currently spending his offseason sharpening his skills and staying fit in the MASL. His contributions to the San Antonio FC attack last season were only a taste of what’s to come, and now he looks forward to playing in front of SAFC fans yet again in 2017 and improving on his achievements from last season.
One of the biggest surprises in 2016 was the signing of forward Franck Tayou halfway through the San Antonio FC inaugural season. The Cameroon native previously played professional indoor soccer, where he made a name for himself while playing for the Soles de Sonora in Mexico. Though he was no stranger to outdoor soccer, Tayou was accustomed to the playing style of indoor soccer. Nevertheless, his transition into the professional outdoor game was fluid, his impact on the pitch was immediately noticeable, and after half a season with SAFC, Franck the Tank is ready for more.
Despite signing with the club in June, Franck the Tank finished the 2016 USL campaign as the joint-leader in goals scored for the club. The forward tallied three goals in his first five appearances for SAFC, providing a spark in the attack immediately upon his arrival. Though his five goals in 17 appearances ranked highest on the team, Tayou is looking forward to making significant improvements in 2017.
“Finishing with five goals was both encouraging and disappointing given the circumstances,” Tayou said. “I’m definitely looking forward to having a full season and scoring more. My goal is to become the most clinical finisher in the league.”
Tayou’s initial venture in indoor soccer was unplanned. Like most kids, he dreamed of becoming a pro soccer player. He decided to pursue the career when he was a teenager, and after a successful collegiate stint at West Virginia University and a few years in the Premier Development League, Tayou found an opportunity to expand his horizons through indoor soccer in the Major Arena Soccer league.
“I’ve always wanted to play professional soccer,” Tayou said. “I really put my mind to it when I was 16. That’s when I realized that I had the commitment and discipline to become a pro.”
Though he prefers the outdoor game over indoor, his time in the MASL provided Tayou a channel to learn a new form of soccer. The space in indoor was tighter and the pace of the game was quicker, both factors which he believes helped him improve his outdoor playing style. When the time came to transition back to outdoor, his skills in front of goal were sharper than ever.
“The adjustment I had to make was more on the fitness level,” Tayou said. “Very few good outdoor players can play indoor. My experience in indoor definitely made me smarter and more dangerous in front of goal.”
The 26-year-old quickly became a fan favorite at Toyota Field. His 6’2” frame and athletic build earned him the nickname ‘Franck the Tank,’ and his goal scoring earned him the love from supporters. He found a quality club in San Antonio FC, and is grateful for the opportunity to represent the Alamo City in silver and black.
“San Antonio FC is a first-class organization, there’s no doubt about that,” Tayou said. “The supporters here are also amazing. Hearing them chant my name is a feeling I can’t describe. It’s truly a blessing to be in the position I am in.”
The team’s inaugural season was a learning experience for Tayou. Though missing out on the USL playoffs left the forward wanting more, he is certain that the team will grow from their mistakes and accomplish great things in 2017.
“I was a bit disappointed with the 2016 season, both as a team and individually,” Tayou said. “The goal was to make the playoffs and we didn’t, but that’s football. We have to learn and move on. As a team we had a very good mixture of talent, experience, and youth, but sometimes it takes more than that to win a championship.”
Tayou is currently spending his offseason sharpening his skills and staying fit in the MASL. His contributions to the San Antonio FC attack last season were only a taste of what’s to come, and now he looks forward to playing in front of SAFC fans yet again in 2017 and improving on his achievements from last season.