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Senegal supporters are getting worried after it emerged that coach Aliou Cisse has not been paid for six months, just two weeks before the Teranga Lions begin AFCON title defence
Senegal coach Aliou Cisse could begin the defence of their Africa Cup of Nations title without pay after going for six months without receiving his salary.
According top reports, Cisse is owed €180,000 (Ksh31,045,341) after failing to receive his €30,000 (Ksh5,174,223) monthly salary for the last six months.
The highly-rated coach has not shown any indication of taking legal action over the issue as he has carried on with his job, leading his team to three wins, as many draws and one loss, over that period.
That period included a 4-2 win over highly-fancied Brazil in a friendly match in June as well as AFCON and World Cup qualifiers.
Cisse, who is the longest-serving coach in Africa, took over the Teranga Lions in 2015 and led them to the 2018 and 2022 World Cup, reaching the Round of 16 in the latter in Qatar.
Under his stewardship, Senegal finished fifth at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, runners-ups in 2019 before eventually winning the title in Cameroon in 2021.
Cisse has built a formidable squad that has put Senegal on the map and there will be hope that the pay delay will be sorted before the Teranga Lions head to Ivory Coast for the delayed 2023 AFCON that starts on January 13, 2024.
Reports say the Senegal FA is working round the clock to ensure Cisse and his technical team are paid before the tournament starts to avoid distractions that might mar their preparations.
Cases of coaches going for months without pay are not new in Africa and some associations have previously faced the wrath of FIFA who imposed tough fines on them when the aggrieved parties sought their intervention.
Senegal are in a tough Group C that has Cameroon, the Gambia and Guinea in next year's tournament.
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