Patrick Vieira refuses Senegal presentation until contract is signed

Patrick Vieira will not be formally presented as Senegal head coach until his contract with the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has been signed.

The former France international has made it clear that he wants the contractual agreement completed before appearing before the media or the Senegalese public in his new role.

According to local media reports, a presentation for Vieira had been planned in recent days but has now been postponed because his contract has not yet been finalised.

The FSF announced Vieira’s appointment on 18 August, while making clear at the time that discussions over administrative and contractual matters were still ongoing.

Those outstanding details have prevented Vieira from completing the formal start to his tenure with the Lions of Senegal.

The former Arsenal midfielder is understood to be taking a cautious approach after the problems that surrounded the contractual situation of his predecessor, Pape Thiaw.

Thiaw’s departure left behind a dispute involving the Senegalese Football Federation, with the former coach continuing to demand several hundred million CFA francs in unpaid wages and benefits.

Vieira is therefore unwilling to proceed with his official presentation until the terms of his own agreement have been settled.

His decision means the Senegal coach’s introduction to the press and public will have to wait, despite the FSF having already announced his appointment.

The situation highlights the importance Vieira is placing on having a completed contract before beginning his responsibilities with the national team.

For now, discussions between the French coach and the federation over the remaining administrative and contractual details are continuing.

Vieira’s priority is to ensure that his agreement with the FSF is formally concluded before he takes the next step in his new position.

The Senegalese federation had expected to present the new coach in recent days, but that event has been delayed because the contract remains unsigned.

Vieira is now waiting for the agreement to be finalised before officially starting his work with the Lions, having made the completion of his contract a condition for his formal presentation.