DAKAR, Senegal, Mar 16 – Majority of African football federations have from time immemorial entrusted the services of foreign coaches but the perception appears to have changed with fairy tale experiences of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
To this end, the Lions of Teranga tactician Aliou Cissé has some pearls of wisdom to offer about over-reliance on foreign coaches and the impact it may have on African football.
In as much as success comes and goes in cycles, the trailblazing Senegalese coach holds the view that tangible results will have to be built on trust of local coaches and patience.
“However nasty situations may look for now, things will definitely begin to look up with proper planning, trust of local coaches and patience,” Cissé remarked in a keynote address he delivered in Dakar during the AIPS Africa Congress.
–8 years and still counting-
For Cissé, who for the last seven years has taken part in five competitions, reiterates that the essence for the continent is to build requisite in-depth in both the technical and playing units.
“African football administrators should entrust their own local coaches because some can do better than foreigners. I have personally received a lot of support from my local federation, I mean, they believed in a young dreadlocked person to lead the country and we delivered,” Cissé, a former Senegal skipper, who has coached Senegal for the last eight years, expounded.
In the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup, Cissé was incidentally the solitary African coach. In Qatar, Senegal were eliminated in the round of 16; though Cissé’s Moroccan counterpart Walid Regragui became the first African coach to lead a team to the World Cup finals.
“It has taken a lot of patience for Senegal to reach where it is today,” quipped Cissé, adding:
In the 2019 AFCON final, Senegal came closer to winning the continental title when they lost 0-1 to Algeria, but Cissé reveals that their loss was not only an eyeopener but a temporary setback.
“Local coaches shouldn’t just be wished away just like that. The turnover of coaches is not good for us as a continent either. Patience, trust and confidence in local coaches is what led to the continent’s positive performance for African teams in Qatar,” the 46-year-old tactician told Capital Sport.
“By virtue of qualifying for the second round, Senegal and Morocco proved that there is need to rethink the idea of over-relying on the foreigners for technical guidance yet talent abounds in Africa.”
“Morocco’s coach was local, so together we are a symbol of success and hope and this will definitely compel other African federations to trust their own coaches in matters technical. There is a pool of African coaches who talk about the challenges they go through.
–Equal treatment–
Cissé wants to see African coaches treated the same as their European or foreign counterparts.
He goes on to point out that foreign coaches also lack the local knowledge.
“From East to West of this respectable continent, federations give a chance to former footballers to be coaches, which is all good. Mine is not a discriminatory remark against the foreign coaches plying their trade in Africa, but then again, we are also equal to the chance. You don’t see African coaches in Europe. Europeans build their own coaches locally.”
Cissé also wants CAF to support a generation of African coaches and prepare them for the big stage through the coaching courses.
“African coaches should be given the respect they deserve. They should understand that they are fighting for legitimacy in the African continent. They should start believing that they are capable of winning and when I say winning, I mean winning big.”
“About remuneration, there are no two ways about it. You have to prove yourself to earn big. For instance, I was the only African Coach in the 2018 World Cup and the least paid for that matter,” the former Senegal utility player underscored.
“Nevertheless, our focus was to show the world that an African can also coach at the highest level of the sport for teams like Real Madrid or Man City. It’s not about skin or color. It’s simply what you can prove when an opportunity presents itself,” he expounded.
Asked if he has plans to exit his position as Head Coach of the Senegalese team any time soon, Cissé concluded: “I’m not done yet. Despite my lengthy stay I am still determined to make the team win more. I am now preparing Senegal to retain the AFCON title starting with the March qualifiers.”
-More about Cissé-
Cissé is best known for captaining the Senegal team which reached the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations Final and for being the first Senegal manager to win the tournament in 2022 after reaching the final in 2019.
-Biodata-
Date of birth: 24 March 1976 (age 46)
Place of birth: Ziguinchor, Senegal
Height: 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s): Midfielder, defender
Senior career
1994–1997 Lille
1997–1998 Sedan
1998–2002 Paris Saint-Germain
2001–2002 → Montpellier (loan)
2002–2004 Birmingham City
2004–2006 Portsmouth
2006–2008 Sedan
2008–2009 Nîmes
International career
1999–2005 Senegal -35caps
Managerial career
2012 Senegal (caretaker)
2012–2013 Senegal U23 (assistant)
2013–2015 Senegal U23
2015–to date Senegal
