FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Round of 16 - England v Senegal - Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar - December 4, 2022 Senegal coach Aliou Cisse before the match REUTERS/Marko Djurica/File Photo
(Reuters) - Aliou Cisse will not have his contract renewed as Senegal coach, officials confirmed on Wednesday, ending a successful nine-year spell in charge of the side that included a first Africa Cup of Nations title and two World Cup qualifications.
Cisse had been under increasing pressure after Senegal’s surprise last 16 exit at the 2023 Cup of Nations when they lost on penalties to hosts Ivory Coast.
The side are unbeaten in six matches since then, but home draws with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burkina Faso, and criticism from certain quarters over their style of play, made up the mind of the country’s sports ministry, who fund the salary of the national team coach, that a change was needed.
"The FSF would like to thank Aliou Cisse for his good collaboration and his brilliant results at the head of the various national selections that he has managed since his arrival in 2011 and wish him every success for the future," the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) said in a statement.
FSF added Cisse’s exit stemmed from a failure to fulfil the targets in his last contract, which expired at the end of August, which included victory at the 2023 Cup of Nations and reaching the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.
They also said the "regression of our national team in the FIFA rankings and the risk of disaffection between our national team and the Senegalese (public)" had played a role.
The FSF will appoint an interim technical team to lead the side in Cup of Nations qualifiers against Malawi at home on Oct. 11 and away four days later.
Cisse, 48, was captain of Senegal when they reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup with what is heralded as a golden generation of players.
He briefly had a spell as caretaker coach of the national team in 2012, but took over full time three years later.
He led Senegal to 2018 and 2022 World Cup qualification, making the last 16 in the latter before losing to England. They were beaten in the final of the 2019 Cup of Nations by Algeria.
The side made up for that disappointment when they beat Egypt in the final two years later to be crowned African champions for the first time.
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
