Senegal: President Senghor Faithful To His Commitments

The President of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), Mr. Augustin Senghor, has confirmed his plans to eventually make more room for local players with the Lions of Teranga.

He has also ensured that the choice of the next national team manager will depend above all on the means made available to the new council responsible for getting Senegalese football back on the right track. In a long interview with Dakar newspaper Le Soleil, the president of the FSF, said that he did not understand the "all expatriates" policy that seemed to be on with the Lions.

"It could have been explained at some point in the past when we lacked a proper championship, but now it is no longer the case because the championship is back with games of great quality and very interesting players. We also have a local national team that plays well and that have had good results overall lately. We should therefore tap into our league much more, in order to take the best players available, rather than simply relying on a team composed entirely of professional players."

The new boss of Senegalese football took advantage of the interview to specify that the choice of the new coach will depend on the resources made available to the new Trust. "It is true that if we could afford to choose what is best out there, the choice would be directed abroad."

He added that "our means are limited and we are also aware that there is homegrown quality, so we could make a choice of reason and set up a team of local coaches, who would be carrying out this task of reconstruction."

Senegal still hasn't appointed a new team manager and a vision is necessary to help them have a headstart for the 2012 African Cup of Nations. The Lions of Teranga lost to South Korea earlier in the week in a friendly 2-0.

Massaër Ndiaye, Goal.com