The Senegalese Football Federation is delaying the official appointment of Patrick Vieira as the new head coach of the Lions of Teranga. This situation persists ten days after an agreement in principle was announced.
The national team, currently sitting 3rd in their World Cup group with 3 points, must quickly prepare for its upcoming fixtures. Its last result was a 3-2 defeat to Belgium on July 1st, and its recent form shows four losses in the last five matches. This season, Senegal has scored 8 goals but conceded 6.
On August 18th, the Senegalese Federation issued a statement indicating an agreement had been reached with Patrick Vieira. It noted, however, that negotiations were still ongoing. A press conference to introduce the former French national team star, who was born in Dakar, was even planned before being called off at the last minute.
The process was temporarily hindered by the possibility of a new Federation election. The Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected this request at the end of August, theoretically clearing the path. But Senegalese officials, who had already been slow to renew the former coach's contract between the end of the Africa Cup of Nations and the third World Cup group stage match, are once again applying their classic approach. Nothing has been finalized yet.
The urgency is real because selection matches are scheduled between September 21st and October 6th. Patrick Vieira needs time to form his squad, talk to players, and immerse himself in his new environment. He also must organize his staff and working conditions.
This post-World Cup period is complicated by internal political problems in Senegal, which slows down decisions. The Federation, whose sports management during the last World Cup was particular, continues to hesitate despite its official statements.
Internally, a reversal of the situation is not currently feared. The deal appears obvious between the two parties, who still project a common future. Patrick Vieira is not expected to wait as long as in the previous example, however.
The Federation now has free hands to act. The team, which has a recent record of 1 win and 4 losses, needs to find a clear direction. Its performances can be viewed in our stats. The new head coach, once in place, will need to reverse a negative dynamic after two consecutive defeats and an overall goal difference of +2.
The situation remains in limbo as the international calendar approaches.
