Sadio Mané criticized his coach Aliou Cissé’s tactical choices earlier last month. A few days ago, Augustin Senghor, the president of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), responded to the issue.
On June 6, 2024, Senegal drew 1-1 against DR Congo in the World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
After the match, Mané stated: “In my opinion, I think we need to rethink our system. We tried to play with more combinations, but it didn’t work out properly. To be formidable, we need to review the system.”
These remarks did not sit well with Augustin Senghor, who felt that Mané lacked tact and chose the wrong moment to speak out.
“I won’t fully comment on Sadio Mané’s statement through the media. If I were to truly comment on it, I would agree with him on his mistake.
As the president of the Federation, I believe he should not have spoken out at that time. It is my duty to be frank.
I greatly admire and respect Sadio Mané, and it is precisely for this reason that I must tell him he was wrong.”
No rift between Sadio Mané and Aliou Cissé
Senghor also reassured about the relationship between Mané and Cissé. “During the match against DR Congo, I went to the stadium with Sadio Mané. He was present in the dressing room during the pre-match and post-match debriefing. Aliou Cissé knows his rules, just as the players know theirs.
If a footballer starts telling his coach how to play in Senegal, we would lose our essence.
Everything a footballer does depends on the collective. No matter how great your talents, there is a team around you.
When I spoke to Aliou Cissé about Sadio Mané’s statement, I immediately knew we would not come back with a poor performance against Mauritania. He reassured me directly about Sadio Mané, for the admiration he has for him.”
A reminder for Mané
Augustin Senghor’s remarks serve as a reminder for Sadio Mané to be more measured in his expressions in the future.
Leave a Reply