Sports
Senegal Hopes To Name New Coach Within Two Weeks
The president of the Senegal Football Federation (FSF) says he hopes to name a new coach within two weeks.
Augustin Senghor explained Senegal’s recent presidential elections had slowed the search for a replacement for Amara Traore.
“Now the elections are behind us, I think the government will be further in place next week,” he told BBC Sport.
“Then it will be a priority for us to talk to the new minister of sport to finalise the new coach.”
Senegal have been without a coach since sacking Traore shortly after their first round exit from the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
Senghor says they have already had coaches from around the world expressing an interest in the Teranga Lions job.
“We have several requests of great coaches coming from all around the world,” he said.
“They want to lead the Senegal team. The reason for me is simple – they know we have players with very good potential and that we have the chance to go to the next Nations Cup or World Cup.
“But what we want to do is find the best coach for our team, because it is time now for us to prove that we are not losers all the time.”
Despite reaching the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals the Teranga Lions have never lifted the Nations Cup.
Senghor seemed to distance himself from reports in the Senegalese media that former Egypt coach Hassan Shehata is being lined up to take over.
“Shehata is a very good coach but there may be a problem of language because we are not sure that he can work or speak with the players in English or French,” he said.
“And we don’t have enough time to work with interpreters or translators, which is why the language will be very important.”
The FSF president insisted that the nationality of the new coach is not an issue.
“What we decided in our executive committee is not to limit ourselves over the nationality or origin of the coach,” he insisted.
“We have a profile with some criteria – competence and experience – but we also need a charismatic coach.
“Because when you have to rule players coming from very great teams in Europe, and professionals of a high level, you have to be someone very charismatic.
“We think that if a coach fills all these criteria, we will take him – whether he is European, African or Senegalese. We will just take the best profile.
“We have several names in mind, but we don’t want to give these names now.”
Whoever takes over will have to deal with players such as the Newcastle United duo of Demba Ba and Papiss Demba Cisse as well as Turkey-based Moussa Sow.
The first job for the new Teranga Lions boss will be to prepare the team for their 2014 World Cup qualifiers in June.
They begin their Group J campaign by hosting Liberia on the first weekend of June before travelling to play Uganda a week later, Angola are the other team in the group.
The championship will run from today to October 12 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. On the ground for the championship are athletes from Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mauritius and Rwanda. They arrived on Sunday.
Some of the other countries were expected in the Abia State capital yesterday. Speaking on the championship, yesterday, Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwobilor Ananaba, said the chief host, Governor Alex Otti, has mobilised facilities and the personnel to ensure a successful event.
Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Chima Ukwa, said: “We have the best mats, playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.
“If you go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable world-class playing field.” Thrilled by Governor Otti’s support for the competition, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, said that, besides making all the necessary arrangements that will ensure a successful hosting of the events, “we will have a Para-Badminton workshop for coaches and players.
“Nigeria is doing well, Abia is doing well, and we want to do better to improve on where we are, which is why all these have been put together by Governor Otti.”
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 loss to Norway on Monday, despite creating several opportunities to level the game.
Norway took the lead in the 9th minute after being awarded a controversial penalty. The Flying Eagles pressed for an equaliser but were denied two penalty claims in the second half.
Kparobo Arierhi came close in the 47th minute when his shot drifted wide with the goalkeeper beaten, while Tahir Maigana struck the upright in the 63rd minute.
Nasiru Salihu’s rising effort in the 71st minute also went narrowly over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Seven minutes from time, Maigana again tested Norway with a long-range strike that went just wide as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure.
Despite their dominance, the Flying Eagles could not find the breakthrough and now turn their attention to Thursday’s clash against Saudi Arabia in their second group match.
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