Senegal coach Aliou Cisse gets contract extension

Senegal’s football federation (FSF) has extended the contract of coach Aliou Cisse for a year, however, he was given the challenging task of ensuring his team a place in the final of next year’s Africa Nations Cup.

‘In the assessment of his contract, we feel he achieved his initial goal of qualifying the team for the World Cup,’ FSF president Augustin Senghor said.

‘After which the whole world recognises that he was able to bring the Senegalese team up to an appreciable level.

‘We do not see why he should not continue, so we have assigned him a mission to reach the 2019 Nations Cup final.

‘Through his remarks, it was clear Cisse is aiming for this goal himself, and Senegal wants the trophy.’

Cisse is the right man for the Senegal job

Cisse captained the Lions of Teranga at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, leading his team to beat trophy holders France in the opening match and reaching the quarter-finals.

His club career included spells at Lille, Paris Saint Germain, Birmingham City and Portsmouth. He earned 35 caps for Senegal’s national team.

The 42-year-old took over as tactician in March 2015 and, at the 2017 Africa Nations Cup in Gabon, Senegal were beaten on post-match penalties in the quarter-finals.

Before then, he coached Senegal’s under-23 team at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, where the Cubs of Teranga were defeated in the quarter-finals by eventual gold-medal winners Mexico.

At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Senegal became the first ever side eliminated on the fairplay rule after finishing level with Japan but being placed behind them because of a higher number of yellow cards. Despite this, the Lions of Teranga impressed at Russia by beating Poland 2-1 in their opening match.