Pape Thiaw emerges as contender for MC Alger job

Pape Thiaw could return to club management sooner than expected, with the former Senegal coach reportedly under consideration by Algerian giants MC Alger.

The 45-year-old has been without a club since his turbulent departure from the Senegal national team, but his name is now being linked with the North African side as uncertainty grows over the future of current manager Khaled Ben Yahia.

According to WinWin, MC Alger are considering Thiaw as a possible successor to the Tunisian coach, who is reportedly preparing to leave his position. Ben Yahia is due to meet the club’s directors on Sunday to discuss the terms of his departure.

The Mouloudia have been experiencing a period of significant unrest despite their ambitious plans for the season. Ben Yahia is said to have reached the limit of his patience amid the pressure surrounding the team.

Criticism increased despite MC Alger’s recovery against Enugu Rangers in the first qualifying round of the African Champions League. The Algerian club overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit by winning the return fixture 3-0.

Ben Yahia returned to the MC Alger bench in March after Rulani Mokwena left the club. Although he knows the club well, his latest spell could already be coming to an end.

WinWin reports that Thiaw is among the leading candidates being assessed by the Algerian club’s hierarchy. However, there have been no reports of advanced negotiations or an agreement between MC Alger and the Senegalese coach.

Thiaw has been available since his dismissal in July, which followed Senegal’s elimination by Belgium in the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup. Senegal lost 3-2 after extra time.

His departure came despite an impressive period in charge of the Lions of Teranga. Thiaw had guided Senegal to victory at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and secured qualification for the World Cup.

The split also led to a financial dispute. In August, Thiaw formally demanded payment from the Senegalese Football Federation, claiming about 647,000 euros in unpaid salaries and bonuses.

His name was also mentioned, less prominently, as a possible replacement for Carlos Queiroz in Ghana, although no appointment followed.

A move to MC Alger would give Thiaw the chance to return to the daily demands of club football and take on a new challenge in continental competition. The immediate future of the role, however, depends first on the outcome of discussions between Ben Yahia and the Mouloudia board.