Senegal will go to Qatar 2022 for a successive World Cup appearance under manager Aliou Cisse. The one-time Birmingham City and Portsmouth star took up the role in March 2015.
Cisse has orchestrated two of the Lions of Teranga’s three successful qualifying campaigns after reaching Qatar 2022. Now, the 46-year-old will look to improve on their group stage exit at Russia 2018. The West Africans returned home after taking one win in three games.
FIFA has drawn Senegal against host nation Qatar, Ecuador and the Netherlands in Group A for the 2022 World Cup. Cisse’s side start their tournament against Oranje on November 21 at 16:00 GMT before facing the home side, the Maroon, on the 25th and La Tri on the 29th.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) will hope Cisse can improve on their record from 2018 in Qatar. The Lions of Teranga achieved their best finish at a World Cup to date back in 2002 whilst making their debut with a run to the quarter-final in Japan and South Korea.
Cisse is now blessed with an array of talent ahead of travelling to the Arabian Peninsula for the first World Cup held in the Middle East. Senegal lifted a first Africa Cup of Nations title in February with Kalidou Koulibaly, Sadio Mane, Idrissa Gueye and Ismaila Sarr in the team.
Who is Senegal’s manager at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Aliou Cisse?
The FSF hired Cisse as the new manager of the Senegal national squad in March 2015 after parting with Alain Giresse. He was Giresse’s assistant for 22 games and before that, Joseph Koto’s number two for five games. Cisse was also Amara Traore’s right-hand man in 2012.
Cisse had only previously worked as an assistant manager with French minnows Louhans-Cuiseaux – now a fourth-tier side – before joining Traore. Yet he stepped in for one match as the Lions of Teranga’s caretaker boss in 2012 and took a 0-0 draw against South Africa.
Impressing from the touchline over a three-year period eventually saw the Ziguinchor-born coach get the big gig. Cisse has since overseen 79 matches across all competitions for 51 wins, 18 draws and 10 defeats. His Senegal sides have also struck 134 to 52 goals allowed.
The Netherlands will face a Senegal squad enjoying a dominant stretch when they meet in Qatar. Cisse has only suffered one defeat since October 2019. Egypt took a 1-0 win in their CAF World Cup qualifying play-off first-leg tie in March but Senegal advanced on penalties.
Which clubs did Aliou Cisse play for during his 14-year career?
Cisse turned his hand to coaching with Louhans-Cuiseaux in 2010 following one year out of the game after retiring. He had enjoyed a 14-year career across eight teams as a midfielder between 1995 and 2009. The deep-lying anchor also made 33 appearances for his country.
LOSC Lille brought Cisse through to first-team football after developing his talents in their academy during the early 1990s. He would remain with Les Dogues to 1997 and joining CS Sedan. But Cisse only spent a year with Les Sangliers before joining Paris Saint-Germain.
His time in Paris lasted until 2002 and included a season-long loan spell with Montpellier in 2001/02. Birmingham then came calling and gave Cisse his first chance to play in England as they returned to the top-flight. St Mary’s proved to be a happy home to the midfielder.
But Cisse would only call St Mary’s home for two years and 37 games before the Senegal manager joined Portsmouth. Yet he struggled to settle on the south coast and only played 28 games during a stop-start career. A return to France and Sedan then followed in 2006.
Yet, once again, Cisse was on the move soon after as he joined Nimes Olympique in 2008. It would prove to be the final transfer of his career as the midfielder retired at the end of the season. Ending a career which saw Cisse captain Senegal to the AFCON final in 2002.
Steve Bruce was key to getting Aliou Cisse to Birmingham after dazzling with Senegal
Steve Bruce was key to getting Cisse to join Birmingham in 2002 after the midfielder blew the former Blues boss away with his performances for Senegal at the World Cup. The 46-year-old left the coach in awe with his dominant work against Arsenal icon Patrick Vieira.
“As soon as I saw his performance against France we confirmed that we would go ahead with the deal,” Bruce once said, via quotes by Birmingham Live.
“When I saw his performance against possibly the best midfielder in the world in Vieira it made me push all the buttons to try and make the deal work.”
Cisse played a crucial role in Birmingham avoiding an instant return to the second-tier in 2002/03. But a spate of injuries saw his St Andrew’s career peter out before Portsmouth paid £300k. Yet he did not forget the affection that the Blues fanbase had shown him.
“Birmingham is my former club and I will never forget it. Especially the supporters, they helped me when I had the most difficult moment in my life,” he said, via Birmingham Live.
“I am disappointed because I didn’t play many years in Birmingham, but that is life. It is behind me. I look forward. The people who helped me the most were the fans. I got many letters from them, it was difficult to leave.”
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