he concluded.
As the most successful president in the history of the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF), Augustin Senghor anticipated guiding the Lions of Teranga through their World Cup journey, having previously done so in Russia and Qatar. However, the 60-year-old attorney, who also serves as the mayor of Gorée Island—a significant location in the history of the transatlantic slave trade—unexpectedly lost his position during the FSF elections last August.
“After losing the election I decided to stay quiet and not talk too much about football, to allow the new administration to take charge, with my cooperation and full support,” Senghor stated. His tenure is often recalled due to its professional standards, contrasting sharply with the recent governance issues emerging under the new FSF leadership led by Abdoulaye Fall.
Currently, Pape Thiaw, the head coach of Senegal, has been without a formal contract since February and is owed five months’ worth of unpaid wages. This situation initially prevented him from traveling to the World Cup in the United States until intervention from Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Senegal’s president. “When this situation happened, Pape called me to discuss it,” Senghor recounted. “I told him that he had to focus on the assignment for our nation and not be distracted. Seeing our nation do well is what is more important. “Many in the country have been asking why there are so many problems with the management of the team, as they say that this was unheard of during my time. I have chosen to stay silent until the first anniversary of my departure as FSF president. That is when I will speak my mind.”
“It was not never a money issue but a principles and respect issue,”
Just prior to Senegal’s 3-2 defeat against Norway on Monday, Thiaw revealed that his contract and salary issues had finally been addressed. Reports from within Senegalese football indicated that the sticking point had been a demand for a $100,000 monthly salary, which led to a prolonged negotiation stalemate with the national government responsible for paying wages. Thiaw expressed frustration over the drawn-out discussions, emphasizing that his financial demands were not the core issue. “Every ball I touched went wrong” he asserted. This turmoil follows the fallout from the remarkable Africa Cup of Nations final in January.
Senegal now faces an uphill battle to secure a spot in the last 32 of the World Cup, having suffered defeats against both France and Norway. This marks the first time the Lions have dropped two consecutive matches in a finals since their memorable debut in 2002. Thiaw is under intense scrutiny from local media regarding his player selections and tactical decisions as they head into their final group match against Iraq.
“We know the level here is very high, and you can’t afford mistakes – we made too many to be able to win the match. It happened to me, tomorrow it could happen to someone else. I just hope I can continue helping the team. We have to win,”
There is a growing sense of confusion and frustration regarding Thiaw’s hesitance to utilize the young talent available within his squad. For example, Tottenham’s Pape Matar Sarr should have stepped in for Koulibaly against Norway, and not playing the 23-year-old against Iraq would seem unwise.
Sadio Mané, once the cornerstone of Senegal’s attack, has also been largely ineffective in this World Cup, which is set to be his final appearance on this stage. Thiaw urgently needs the 34-year-old to regain his offensive prowess against Iraq, as failing to secure a win in Toronto by a significant margin could lead to an abrupt end to his tenure as head coach, just 18 months into his tenure.
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