Vieira appointment exposes divisions behind Senegal’s coaching decision

Patrick Vieira’s appointment as Senegal manager was not unanimously supported within the executive committee of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), despite being formally confirmed by the organisation on Tuesday.

Vieira had been widely expected to take charge of the Lions of Teranga after emerging as the leading candidate in recent days. His appointment was announced in an FSF statement, issued one day after an emergency meeting of the federation’s executive committee.

However, the appearance of consensus may conceal disagreement within the governing body. According to investigative journalist Khadim Diakhate, whose account was corroborated by Senegalese newspaper L’Observateur, the decision initially led to “de vifs echanges” lively exchanges and “tensions”.

The reservations were not necessarily focused only on Vieira’s suitability for the role. Some members of the committee were understood to have doubts about the profile of the former Genoa coach, whose recent managerial career has been regarded as less successful than earlier stages of his work.

The process used to reach the decision appears to have been the more contentious issue.

Several members reportedly accused FSF president Abdoulaye Fall of acting alone and failing to involve the executive committee fully in the appointment. The disagreement is said to have extended beyond Vieira’s candidacy, raising wider questions about the federation’s governance and its adherence to its rules and procedures.

Vieira’s appointment was nevertheless completed and officially communicated by the FSF. The 50-year-old will be presented to the media at a date that will be announced later. The federation said the timing would “l’objet d’une communication ulterieure” be the subject of a subsequent announcement.

The former France international is also expected to meet Senegalese officials shortly to discuss the make-up of his coaching staff. No details of the proposed staff have been given.

Vieira is due to earn a monthly salary of 35 million CFA francs, equivalent to 53,357.15 euros.

His arrival follows a period in which the federation’s leadership had to balance the choice of a new manager with internal debate over how that decision should be made. While the appointment has now been formalised, the reported exchanges inside the executive committee indicate that the selection was not straightforward.

The FSF has not publicly detailed the disagreements surrounding Vieira’s nomination. Its statement confirmed the appointment and outlined the next steps, including the future media presentation and discussions over the composition of the manager’s staff.

Vieira, who previously coached Genoa, will now begin work in his new position as Senegal’s head coach. The immediate formalities are expected to be addressed through his meeting with federation officials and the later announcement of his presentation date.

For now, the appointment stands, but the reports of internal “tensions” have placed the federation’s decision-making process in focus as Vieira prepares to take charge of the Lions of Teranga.