The name of the Senegal national team rose to fame in the eyes of football lovers when they beat the French national team at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. In fact, at that time the French national team was strengthened by stars who were shining in Europe, such as Thierry Henry and Patrick Viera. France’s dominance ran aground in the hands of Senegal in the qualifying group. Status as the defending champion, France was eliminated early from the World Cup, including being defeated by Senegal.
It doesn’t end there. Senegal also made it into the quarter-finals of the World Cup. However, in the quarter-finals, Senegal had to admit a narrow 0-1 advantage over Turkey. However, the story of Senegal’s adventures at the World Cup left a mark on football lovers. His name was raised to the surface. Interestingly, the captain of the Senegal team in the 2002 world cup is the current coach of the Senegal national team. Aliou Cisse.
As coach Cisse succeeded in presenting the African Cup of Nations trophy for Senegal. The first trophy for Senegal from an international tournament. This trophy was born when Senegal won 4-2 on penalties over Egypt. Sadio Mane who failed to score from the penalty spot in the first half, became the decisive kicker for Senegal’s victory. Senegal’s success seemed to end the two curses of defeat in the African Cup of Nations final. Sadio Mane and his friends managed to overcome their teammate at Liverpool, Mohamed Salah.
This victory is quite meaningful for Senegal. The Africa Cup of Nations trophy is the first trophy for Senegal. Also, this trophy is quite impressive for the national team coach, Aliou Cisse. Before the final match took place, Mane stated that the victory in the final will be dedicated to the team coach, Aliou Cisse. Mane’s statement was born because of the challenges faced by Cisse in the coaching chair. Various criticisms floated to Cisse during the African cup event.
It is very likely that if Senegal fails to win again, Cisse’s fate in the Senegal coach seat will also end. However, fate said otherwise. Senegal became champions, and Cisse remained in the coach seat. The next target is to get a ticket to the 2022 World Cup in Egypt. This success is quite important for Cisse. Cisse, who was born in Ziquinchor, southern Senegal, is a coach who is familiar with the Senegalese national team.
His experience as a player helped him in developing the Senegal national team. The experience is getting richer with the composition of the squad owned by Senegal. In goal, Cisse has FIFA’s number one goalkeeper, E. Mendy. Then, Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly became the general at the back, and Sadio Mane became the captain up front. Cisse is attached to Senegal. He started his career from the lowest level in Senegal. Starting from being the assistant coach of Karim Sega Diouf at the Olympics. Then later, he was elected coach of the Senegal youth team.
In 2015, Cisse was elected as Senegal coach replacing French coach Alain Giresse. The election of Cisse as coach started the work of local coaches for the national team. However, the demands are also not light. Criticism flooded Cisse’s career as Senegal coach. Despite improving Senegal’s position in the FIFA rankings, delivering victory after victory, to delivering Senegal to the African Cup of Nations final in 2019, criticism still flooded Cisse.
Supporters want Cisse to be able to make Senegal’s game more interesting, especially because the composition of the Senegal squad is inhabited by players who take part in Europe. Inevitably, these criticisms are colored with vigilance. If Cisse again fails to present a trophy for Senegal, his place in the coach seat could end. Senegal’s success in becoming a champion is proof of Cisse’s career as a coach. He also proved that the process to achieve achievement is not so easy.
Although inhabited by several star players, Cisse also needs to adapt to his squad. One of them is to build relationships with the players. Not surprisingly, Cisse is known as a coach who is close to the players. Even the players considered Cisse like the eldest brother. Of course, the factor of Cisse’s experience as a player and captain of the team brought a sense of respect in the dressing room. When there is respect from the players, the instructions as a player can be easily translated by the players.
Cisse is a coach who has eaten salt in the face of the demands of tournaments for an international context as both when he was active as a player and now as a coach. His success as a coach proves that local coaches can also give their best for the national team. This is also a sign of self-evident as well as a plug for the criticisms that have colored Cisse’s gait as coach of the Senegal national team.
ASL
