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Cisse must win Afcon 2021 to keep Senegal job – Diouf
The future of the Lions of Teranga’s handler will be determined by the country’s performance in Cameroon, the legendary forward says
Aliou Cisse must lead Senegal to win the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations if he hopes to retain his job as Lions of Teranga coach, according to El Hadji Diouf.
Cisse, 45, replaced Alain Giresse in 2015 – as the Senegalese Football Federation refused the Frenchman’s contract extension following the West African side’s failure to get past the first round of the 2015 Afcon staged in Equatorial Guinea.
Since his appointment, the former Paris Saint-Germain and Birmingham City star has yet to win a trophy with Senegal in all competitions.
With four months to the biennial African football showpiece billed for Cameroon, his former international teammate fears Cisse could be shown the way out should he fail to lead the country to their maiden Afcon triumph.
“Of course, we will have to change. He’s been six years old today [Monday],” the two-time African Player of the Year winner told Canal + Sport, as per Newin24.com.
“I hope this time will be the right one but if he does not win the Africa Cup of Nations, as a coach with character, he will have to start on his own.”
Cisse’s closest opportunity to winning silverware was in Egypt where he led Senegal to a second-place finish at Afcon 2019.
After edging Tunisia in the semi-finals, the Lions of Teranga bowed 1-0 to eventual champions Algeria at the Cairo International Stadium courtesy of Baghdad Bounedjah’s second-minute strike.
A year earlier, he coached Senegal at the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia where he failed to get past Group H that boasted Japan, Colombia and Poland.
Making their 16th appearance in 2021 Afcon, they have been zoned in Group B alongside Zimbabwe, Guinea and Malawi.
They will commence their campaign against the Warriors on January 10 at the Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam, before squaring up against Didier Six’s National Elephants four days later.
Their latest game in the preliminary round comes up against the Flames on January 18.
Since making their bow in the competition at the 1965 edition staged in Tunisia – where they finished in fourth position. Senegal’s best result remains a second-placed finish in 2002 (Mali) and 2019 (Egypt).
